Alphabet Soup
by CoffeeIncluded
Summary: N can remember only bits of the ceremony. Bree can't remember anything from before her sixth birthday. Bree White, Cheren Shiro, and Bianca Noir are in no way prepared for what lies buried. Memory's a funny thing, isn't it? Slight Cheren/Bianca, White/N.
1. No Idea What's Going On? Good

Okay, so this is my first attempt at something like this. I promise that the writing will get better as the story goes on, but it seems so much better in my head then on the screen...Gah...I'm sorry about this. In any case, this is an attempted...Novelization(?) of Pokemon White, with the female character, Touko/White/Whitlea/Whatever it is as the protagonist. However, I have changed her first name from Touko/White/Whitlea/Whatever to one I created. **There is a very good reason for this.** Trust me. Even if I'm not the greatest writer, I can make characters.

In any case, this story is rated Teen for mild language, violence, and innuendo. There will be shipping (N/White, AKA Ferriswheelshipping; possibly some Cheren/Bianca, AKA whatever it's called), but **it will be minor.**

Uh...I guess enjoy? And don't hate it too much?

* * *

When Professor Juniper announced that she would take an intern for the winter break to show them the basics of pokemon research, she expected her responders to be twelve and thirteen-year olds, teenagers on the cusp of entering the world of pokemon as official trainers. She did not expect the sole responder to be six-year-old Cheren Shiro, a soft-spoken boy with a penchant for electronics and dress shirts. Currently, said six-year-old was walking through the lab, surveying the test tubes and electronics, occasionally reading a label or abstract of a paper. Professor Juniper concluded that twenty years was the only thing separating Cheren from a PhD. He seemed to completely ignore her presence; the sound of his shoes on the floor melded perfectly with the background noise of the lab, an always present undertone that would only be noticed by its absence. Cheren finally stopped in front of a clear box snaked by tubes and connected to all sorts of monitors.

"Professor? What's this, and why is a-"-he flipped through the pages of his identification book, his finger eventually landing on a picture of a small fluffy grey pokemon with cloudlike fur and a feathery tail- "Minccino in it?" Said Minccino was absurdly small, Cheren noticed. It could slip into his bag without even making a noticeable bulge.

"That's an incubator," Professor Juniper replied, about to give a definition before realizing that this was Cheren Shiro, and he certainly knows what an incubator is, even if he never saw one in real life before, "And that Minccino is in there because someone abandoned it right after it was born. My friend, Dr. Fennel, found it and gave it to me to care for, as she doesn't have the proper equipment. It's too young to live on its own, so the incubator is keeping it warm and cozy in the winter weather."

"Oh." Cheren smiled as the small grey pokemon shifted in its sleep. Even through the glass, its fur looked like a cloud; his fingers twitched at the thought of stroking it. "And when it's older?"

"Hm..." The truth was, she hadn't really thought about it. The Minccino was barely even weaned, and it didn't know any attacks. Its growth was stunted and it probably wouldn't be that big. No trainer would want to battle with it, and by the time the Minccino was that old, it would be too habituated to people to live on its own. Maybe an older retired person would care for it, but Juniper knew that she would fret too much to adopt out the little pokemon. Then again, she had been thinking about having a companion pokemon since-

_Bam. Bam BAM!_

Someone knocked on the door. Well, charged up against it seemed to be more accurate, considering how loud it was. In either case, Juniper's train of thought skidded off the rails and crashed into a mountain.

_Bam BAM BAM!_

"Alright, I'm coming!" Juniper half expected a tornado or something, the knocking was so loud. Opening the door she said, "This better be pretty importan-"

And stopped.

The woman standing before Juniper, clutching something in her arms, could be classified as attractive, until you looked at her eyes. Deep blue, they were frenzied and panicked. This was obviously a woman in serious trouble. Juniper glanced at the Blitzle standing beside the woman, its striped fur and jagged horn sparking in agitation. It didn't seem to be injured or sick or dying of some obscure disease, so why was this woman so...

The blanket shifted, revealing part of a limp figure. Juniper suddenly realized that the phrase, "I felt a chill go down my spine," was firmly grounded in reality. "Cheren," she said, eventually. "Why don't you go home. I'll meet with you again tomorrow."

Thankfully, Cheren didn't protest. The boy simply picked up his bag (Neatly pressed clean, like everything else he owned), thanked Juniper, and left. He took no notice of the woman with the Blitzle and the bundle as he left. Or if he did, he didn't think it was important.

If Cheren saw the little girl lying limp and pale and still in the woman's arms, or if he heard the girl's wheezing breaths, he might have left with a bit more fuss. Perhaps he would have heard phrases like. "-Lucky to be alive," or "-Possible amnesia, definitely permanent respiratory damage," or "-She'll be happy here." And perhaps several weeks later he would have recognized the girl his age who joined his class at the end of the month, who just moved here with her mother, who was brash and loud and good at making friends with people who were hardly like her at all.

* * *

Icy hands, slipping through the velvet of dreams, shaking a young boy into consciousness.

"It's time."

It was past midnight, far too late for a boy his age to be awake. "Hrm?"

"What your whole life has been made for. All your plans, all your dreams. It is time."

Now he was starting to remember. Of course. "You mean I got it?"

"Yes." He smiled. The boy felt happy. The older man who looked so much like him never smiled, not even when giving the boy a new toy, or a pokemon trembling in fear from the hands of people. He never smiled, not even when the boy showed that the pokemon who feared human hands trusted the boy. But he was smiling now, so the boy felt happy.

And then the boy felt worried. "But...What about B and K and L and the others?"

Something flashed across the older man's face, and was just as quickly gone. "I'm sorry...They're not able to see it. They're a bit busy right now, helping us elsewhere. But I told them and they're all very happy for you."

"Oh. That's good then."

"Now." He grabbed the boy's wrist and led him out of bed. "It is time."

"...Can I bring any of my friends?"

"...No. Sorry, you can't bring any of your pokemon. This is a people-only thing."

"...Not even Zorro?" Zorro, the boy's Zorua, his favorite even if he would never admit it. He was not supposed to nickname his pokemon, he knew. It implied ownership, while they were friends and equals. But the boy was only three when he got Zorro, and he was unable to shape his mouth to fit the letters. By the time he learned how to pronounce Zorua, Zorro had stuck.

The boy liked Zorro better, anyway. Zorua liked Zorro too, so that was okay.

He looked up from the floor (Bare pink toes against thick red carpet) and realized that he was already walking down the aisle, towards the throne.

It was late, and the boy was tired. He could only remember bits and pieces of the ceremony.

He remembered the hush of all the older people in their robes. If he really concentrated, he remembered that some looked like they might be crying, but he never really knew for sure.

He remembered the red and white robe, and how heavy if felt on his shoulders. Much heavier than the fluffy bathrobe, or the blankets on his bed.

He remembered the crown, and how it slid down over his eyes before the icy hands of the older man adjusted it.

He remembered saying something about how humans were meanies and pokemon were nice, and so we all had to protect pokemon from the mean humans, but he couldn't remember the details. The older man spoke more anyway. At least, the boy thought he did.

He remembered curling up with Zorro and easily falling to sleep, dreaming of tunnels of light and trains with headlights that, instead of lighting things up, made everything shadowy and dark.


	2. A Three For All Free For All!

Hey guys, thanks for reviewing. Also, I was serious about the "I'm not making mary-sues" thing. I may not be the best writer, but I do make good characters. They're good guys, but they're **flawed**. They're going to screw up and make stupid decisions and face these consequences. Trust me.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own pokemon. But I really, really wish I did.

* * *

It was one of those stereotypes inured in the collective consciousness. The brand new trainer somehow forgot to set his alarm and overslept on the big day. By the time he dashed over to the lab, sneakers untied and toast in mouth, he was late and all the "normal" starters were gone, leaving only an Eevee or a Pikachu or an Axew or whatever for the new trainer's first pokemon. Probably shiny to boot.

Bree White saw this trope stranded on the side of Route 16 and gave it the finger as she rode by. At 5:30 in the morning her alarm blared her awake. At 5:31 she was dancing around the room in her pajamas, shouting something along the lines of, "Today's the day!" At 5:33 she was dancing around the room in her underwear, shouting out the lyrics to "The Punk And The Godfather" while getting dressed. She danced frenetically and aimlessly to the beat, and practically shouted out the line, _"You only became what we made you!"_ and the following lyrics into her hairbrush.

At 5:35 Bree's mother walked in and kindly (Firmly) informed the girl that it wasn't even 6 in the morning yet, and I know you're excited but please don't wake up the whole neighborhood. Bree nodded and agreed. Twenty-eight seconds later, she plugged her earbuds into her laptop and played Quadrophenia at a volume high enough to make her ears ring.

Of course, it wasn't until four hours later that Cheren arrived, prim and proper with a sports jacket and pressed-pressed!-slacks. His expression seemed neutral, but Bree knew better. From the way he held his hands, balled into fists and stiffly held before him, to his mouth, whose corners twitched into a grin, he might as well have been shouting in the streets. Before Bree could greet him, or challenge him to a round of Mario Kart, Cheren held up a hand and said, "Half an hour. And the IDs are in there too."

There was really only one response for this. "YIPPEE!"

Several seconds of gasping later, Cheren wheezed, "Uh...Bree? You're...On my neck."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No problem."

"So. Up for a round of Mario Kart?"

Cheren smiled. "You're on."

* * *

Thirty-five minutes later, the package arrived. Bree practically dove head-first onto it before Cheren grabbed her by the ponytail. "Bree!" he hissed. "Wait for Bianca! We promised!"

Bree pouted. "Aww, you're no fun. But I know, I know we promised."

Twenty minutes later, it was starting to rain, Cheren was quickly wearing a groove in the floor from his pacing and Bree was one step away from gnawing her own hair off before they heard Bianca racing up the staircase. Dripping wet, she squeezed out the rain from her beret and apologized. "Sorry I'm late, I overslept and-"

"About time! I was about to drag you here myself!"

Cheren spoke the obvious. "Well, since we're here, shall we?" Of course, by the time he was on the "here" Bree and Bianca had already torn off the wrapping and chucked it into a corner. Inside the packge were three pokeballs, each with an ID card attached. The teenagers stared at the pokeballs in an almost reverent silence. Bree broke it first.

"On three. One...Two..."

"-THREE!" This last word was spoken by all three at once. Three flashes of light immediately followed, and three young pokemon landed on the floor, gazing into the eyes of their new trainers and climbing into their laps.

Bree scratched Oshawott's-_her Oshawott_, she realized-stomach and ears; it-_she_- squeaked happily as she did so. Bianca was currently holding her Tepig in a bear hug as he snuffed at her face. Cheren didn't squeeze the life out of his Snivy, but he did run his fingers down the pokemon's smooth scales and let him climb up his shoulders. They sat there for a few minutes, not talking, just admiring.

It was Bree who spoke first. "Hey! We're bona fide trainers now; let's have a battle!"

"Awwwwright! Ready to go, Tepig?"

"Woah woah woah," Cheren said. He held up one hand and pointed the other towards the window. "It's still raining."

"Then we'll battle in here!"

Cheren gave Bianca a look that could only be translated as _Are you out of your mind?_ "I can think of several reasons why that would be a terrible idea. One, it's Bree's room. Two, it's Bree's room. Three, it's Bree's room..."

"And I'm perfectly okay with it! Ready to go, Oshawott?" The little otter chittered in assent. Snivy and Tepig jumped to attention.

Cheren sighed and buried his face in his hands. "Sometimes I wonder why I ever became...Snivy? Up for a little practice fight?" Snivy looked at Tepig and Oshawott, then nodded.

"Wait." Bree's face lit up. "I've got an even better idea. All of us at once! A three-for-all free-for-all!"

"Brilliant idea, Bree! Come on Cheren, let's go!"

Cheren adjusted his glasses. "Our first battle, Snivy. Let's show them what we've got." Snivy sauntered over to Oshawott, who looked at the green pokemon as if snails were crawling out of its ears.

"Tepig! Tackle them!" Snivy and Oshawott yelped as the pig charged at them, but couldn't dodge out of the way fast enough. The force knocked the otter and lizard to opposite sides of the room. Bianca mentally supplied the sound of bowling pins being knocked down.

With that, the battle began in earnest. The pokemon followed their trainer's commands, occasionally improvising. When Tepig charged again, Oshawott growled at him, causing the pig to slow his charge. This gave Snivy time to knock over Tepig, while Oshawott aligned herself so she could charge head-on into Snivy. At this point Tepig wagged his tail cutely, distracting Snivy. Half a second later, Snivy found himself face-down on the floor with Oshawott on top of him. This didn't last long, however, as Tepig charged head-on into the two of them again, sending all three pokemon flying. Oshawott went flying into the bookcase, where a large encyclopedia fell on her head. Snivy soared past the hanging light fixture and barely managed to grab on to it, holding the hanging lamp as if it were a lifeline.

"Come on Oshawott! I know you can do it!"

"Snivy, nice evasion tactics!"

"Go Tepig!"

Oshawott stood up, a little unsteady on her feet. She looked at Snivy, clinging to the light, and Tepig, preparing for another charge. She swiftly climbed up the shelves of the bookcase, hopped from the bookcase to the top of the television, and from there lept to the light fixture. She missed, but caught onto Snivy's tail.

"Hell yeah! Did you just see that? Right outta Heir of Hoenn! Just like me!"

"Really. As I recall-Shake her off, Snivy!-When you tried to climb the roof of Juniper's lab, you got stuck!"

"Hey! I got to the roof! Eventually."

"Yeah, and then you broke your wrist trying to hop down."

"Pah, details. Yeah! Go Oshawott!"

The scene was absolute chaos. The light fixture was swinging, Snivy was clinging to the light and simultaneously trying to kick off Oshawott, Oshawott was clinging to Snivy's leg and tail, and Tepig was running back and forth under the swinging light, grunting and trying to jump high enough to catch them. Oh, and Snivy was repeatedly slapping his tail in Oshawott's face.

Finally, Oshawott had had enough, and sank her tiny fangs into Snivy's leafy tail. Snivy yelped and let go of the light in shock. Then Snivy realized that he was in the middle of the air and not holding on to anything. At the same time, Oshawott realized that she was hanging on to Snivy, who wasn't hanging on to anything. Tepig had just enough time to realize that the other two pokemon were plummeting straight at him, and just enough time for his expression to change into the expression of one who is about to see it hit the fan, but not enough time to actually run out of the way.

Force equals mass times acceleration, or, in this case, mass times gravitational acceleration. 14 kilograms of force times 9.81 meters/seconds squared of acceleration equals approximately 137.5 newtons of force. Tepig didn't stand a chance.

"Tepig!" Bianca ducked into the ring and pulled out the little pig, who was groaning faintly. "You okay, littke guy?" Tepig tried to charge back into the fight, but merely fell over. "No, no. Sit here. You want to watch the battle? Here," Bianca took off her beret and handed it to Tepig, who had now buried his head in his hooves. "Sit on my beret for a while if you want."

"Bianca. Are you and Tepig okay?"

"Yeah. Nothing that won't feel better in a bit. Go on, I want to see how this will end! He does too!"

"Ready Bree? Ready Snivy?"

"Whenever you are!"

During this time Snivy and Oshawott had finished rubbing their heads and were now standing up. Both were swaying slightly; this battle would be finished soon. At the same time, they charged towards each other, the fight devolving into what was essentially a wrestling match. The wounds on Snivy's tail were minor and would be fully healed after a few hours in sunlight, but Snivy was _pissed._ Soon he had Oshawott pinned on the floor. Oshawott's paw flashed something, then dropped to the ground.

"Come on, Oshawott! You can come back from this!"

"Just a little more, Snivy!" Cheren's eyes narrowed. "Wait, where did-"

_Whang_. The shell that Oshawott flung from her belly boomeranged around and whacked Snivy right on the back of his head. He comically toppled to the ground. Oshawott stood up, shell in paw, paws raised in triumph.

"Awww yeah! I won! We won! Go Bree! Go Oshawott! We're awesome!" Oshawott jumped up to give Bree a high-five, then collapsed.

"Well, looks like you won fair and square. Good job Bree." Cheren held Snivy in his arms. "Don't worry, Snivy. You did well too."

"Ooh, that was amazing! I love this! And Tepig, you and I are gonna get better and better!"

"First things first," Bree said, surveying the pokemons' assortment of bruises, "Let's get everyone cleaned up."

"Done and done." Cheren sprayed a potion on each pokemon. "I bought them last week. And now," he muttered, "I think we should fix up your room."

All three of them surveyed the damage. The rug was bunched up and crumpled in a corner. The light fixture on the ceiling was tilted at almost a 90-degree angle. Half the books in her bookcase were strewn all over the floor, and the Wii was knocked on its side and out of its stand. Oshawott's and Snivy's footprints were tracked all over the floor and wallpaper. A painting had fallen to the ground and a poster was torn. The window was forced open and a small rain puddle was already forming below it. In short, Bree's room was completely trashed.

As if for emphasis, the rest of the bookcase toppled to the floor.

"Yeah," Bree muttered. "Not one of my smartest moves."

* * *

It took two hours for the six of them to clean up Bree's room (Their pokemon helped). During that time, the rain trickled off to a light drizzle and Bree's mother called them down for lunch.

"Your pokemon are so cute!" she said. "So, who won the match? I heard it all the way down here."

"Oshawott did!" Bree said. Oshawott nodded, then returned to her fish and chips.

"You know, a lot of people nickname their pokemon. Bree, do you remember our Blitzle?"

"Yeah." Bree smiled, a little rueful. "We called him Eric. So..."

"Porkchop!" Bianca shouted. She hugged Tepig again. "I'm calling him Porkchop, because I love porkchops and I love Tepig and Tepig's a pig and so I'm calling Tepig Porkchop!"

Cheren polished his glasses. "Hm...Snivy, you seem to be a Julian. That would be a noble name." Only a flick of Julian nee Snivy's tail disclosed his acknowledgement.

"...I can't think of one. At least, not a good one."

"Bree. I have an idea. Remember how Oshawott was very pragmatic in battle? Willing to use anything as a weapon?"

"Yeah. That was amazing."

"Well, I did some research and found out that the samurai used to use Oshawott and its evolutions in battle."

Bree grinned. Her little otter, a fierce whirlwind of singing steel or whatever it was that pokemon used? _Sweet._ And then, an idea for her name. "Guys? Oshawott? You're gonna love this. You know that awesome manga I love reading? And the badass pregnant samurai in it who hacks her way through like fifty assassins?"

"...That is a good one, Bree."

Bree bowed dramatically. Then she picked up Oshawott and presented her to her friends and mother, as well as Julian and Porkchop. Sometimes you just needed to make a moment dramatic, even when that moment took place in a kitchen that hadn't been cleaned in a week. "Oshawott," Bree announced in as dramatic a voice she could seriously make, "I name thee Kazumi."

The topic then turned to what the new trainers would do. Only Cheren had a clear goal in mind: Become the Champion. Bree and Bianca's plans were more nebulous, but the two of them planned to take on the gyms as well, though Bree was more certain of this than Bianca was. Of course, as these things usually go, the general cheer didn't last long. Within just a few minutes there was a pounding on the door. A very angry pounding. And then a cough that was not caused due to biological responses. Bianca seemed to shrink lower in her chair. Porkchop hid behind Julian and Kazumi. Ms. White opened the door.

"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Noir. What are you doing here?"

Mr. Noir was not a happy man. Generally he wasn't; his default state was more along the lines of "slightly annoyed." This, however, was not someone who was merely "slightly annoyed." Bianca sank lower.

"Bianca Annabelle Noir! What are you doing here?"

The tip of a green beret could be seen from Bianca's chair. Cheren and Bree watched the beret rise, followed by blonde hair, then green eyes, and finally a trembling mouth.

"You went and got a pokemon? Without my permission? You went and registered yourself without telling me?"

"Hey!" Bianca stood up abruptly to defend herself. This was too much. Any moment now he would probably start lacing into her-In front of her friends, no less! "I gave you the form to sign!" she shouted. "It's not my fault that you didn't look at it! And I'm going to go travel Unova with my friends and Porkchop! And I'm going to get other pokemon too! Maybe even an Axew if I want!"

Mr. Noir's hand closed around his daughter's wrist. "We're going home right now to have a chat. And how _dare_ you embarrass me in public like that." Bianca barely had time to return Porkchop to his pokeball before she was dragged out of the house.

An awkward silence hung in the air. Cheren and Bree stared at each other, then dashed after Bianca without a word, Julian and Kazumi dashing after them.

* * *

"No, no, and NO!"

Bianca cringed, but remained resolute. She was thankful that at least Porkchop was in his pokeball, so he wouldn't have to see this.

"Bianca, do you honestly think that you can survive out there? The world is dangerous! You honestly think your pokemon can protect you!" His fist slammed onto the granite countertop, but Mr. Noir was so worked up that he didn't notice.

She knew it was hopeless, but couldn't stop herself. "Well, I'm nearly seventeen now, dad! Maybe I'll be able to survive in the real world if you actually, I don't know, _let me find out for myself!_ Other places let trainers start when they're ten!"

"Yeah, and look what happened! I'm not going to let the same thing happen to you!"

"That's not going to happen to me and you know it!" Bianca was crying now, but she was on autopilot. "Everyone had pokemon except me! Do you remember eighth grade when people brought in their pokemon? Do you? Bree brought in her Blitzle, Cheren brought in his dad's Reuniclus, Emma had a Sewaddle, and even Mal had a Patrat! I was one of the only kids there who didn't have a pokemon at all!"

"I told you, you are not going anywhere and that is FINAL!"

"NO! I'm gonna go and, and I'm gonna be as good as Bree and Cheren are gonna be, and you're not gonna stop me! I'll become strong! I'll get myself a Gigalith! You'll see!" Bianca shouted as she stormed up to her room. The door slammed shut.

An argument like that would be easily heard outside. Bree and Cheren shimmied up the tree that grew by Bianca's window, rapping at the panes until Bianca, eyes red from crying, opened up the window and let them in.

"Dmt brthr muh," Bianca muttered around a mouthful of ice cream. Barely ten minutes since the fight and she had already downed half the dish, brain freeze and weight gain be damned.

Cheren sniffed the air and readjusted his glasses. He sat down next to Bianca on the flower-print bedspread. "Bianca," he said gently. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "First I think you should stop eating that so we can talk."

"Don't wanna. Leave me alone."

He straightened up. "Don't play dumb with me, Bianca. I know that's not just coffee ice cream in there. Bree, could you please open up the mini-fridge by the desk?" Bree shot him a confused look, but did so anyway.

Bianca flew to her feet. The dish of ice cream was flung onto the carpet, where Porkchop ran over and started licking out its contents before spitting it out and grimacing in disgust. "No, don't!-"

"Bianca." Bree held a bottle in her hand. "What's a bottle of chocolate liqueur doing in your fridge?"

Bianca hung her head. She said nothing.

"You laced your ice cream with it in an attempt to feel better." Cheren's voice was soft, free from accusation. Somehow, that was worse. "And Bianca, I don't think this is the first time either. I think you've been doing this for weeks, after every bad fight with your parents."

Bianca nodded. Then she collapsed on her bed, sobbing incoherently. "He-He won't let me go!" she wailed. It took several more minutes of incoherent sobbing, as well as a lot of hugs from Bree and Cheren, for her to be able to gasp out a coherent response. "Thinks I-Won't be safe! Especially since the thing in Sinnoh..."

Of course. The "Sinnoh Affair," which was singlehandedly responsible for raising the official minimum trainer age to sixteen worldwide. Everybody knew about it. About how a shadowy organization called Team Galactic was starting to cause so much trouble that someone from Interpol was apparently called. About how a girl named Zoe Dawn, barely in her teens, a rising contender, accidentally got herself mixed up in Galactic's affairs. About how it started with protecting Professor Rowan from a couple of grunts, and just escalated from there. About how one thing led to another and she somehow ended up chasing down the commander with the Interpol agent and Champion Cynthia. About how she confronted him on the very top of Spear Pillar, where the air was thinner than cellophane, where legends were supposedly born.

About how Cyrus decided to stop playing with pokemon and start playing with bullets.

The story made international news, its details known to everyone. Cheren managed to somehow get his hands on an online copy of the police report, complete with a few photographs that he immediately regretted looking at. Cyrus, pinned down by a Luxray, Floatzel, and Staraptor. Zoe's Alakazam on the ground, unconscious, its eyes clawed out by Cyrus's frenzied Weavile. Said Weavile lying dead on the ground, torn apart from Infernape's Flare Blitz and Lucario's Aura Sphere. And Zoe spread-eagled on the ground, bleeding to death from half a dozen bullets in her body.

And yet...And yet somehow, against all odds, she recovered. And a year later, she managed to defeat Champion Cynthia in an official match. The images from the fight: a blinded, blindfolded Alakazam fighting of its own free will, a shiny Lucario with a chipped chest spike shooting off Shadow Balls and Aura Spheres left and right, an Infernape wreathed in flames, and, most of all, Zoe Dawn, supported by crutches yet tall and strong. The images galvanized the entire Trainer world.

She was only a few years older than Bree, Cheren, and Bianca. They all but idolized her.

"Look at you," Bianca cried. "You're gonna be trainers and I'm gonna get stuck here for the rest of my miserable life! You're gonna be great and be dual champions or something and then get married and live happily after ever and I'm, I'm just gonna become a miserable waste of space who spends all her time getting drunk!" She started sobbing again.

Cheren and Bree sat on either side of the sobbing girl. It was awful, seeing Bianca like this.

Cheren spoke first. "Okay Bianca, let me tell you all the ways you are wrong."

"How is _that_ going to-"

"Let me finish." He held up a finger. "First, about me and Bree. You know full well that we're not dating anymore. We haven't been dating for what? Seven months now? We're better as friends and you know this. And I sincerely hope I don't need to tell you that whatever rumors you heard about what we may have done in those soundproofed music rooms at school are not only completely false, but almost certainly hypocritical considering the most likely sources of said rumors."

"Second," Bree chimed in, "You're far from useless. You're my best friend! Tied with Cheren, of course."

"Third," Cheren continued. "Same here. You two are my best friends, and I don't give a shit about what people might say about that." Bianca and Bree glanced at Cheren in surprise; he almost never swore.

"...Fourth," Bree said, "You're really good at fashion designing. Have I ever told you how much I love the shorts you made me? Well, I'll say it again. I love the shorts you made me!" Bree indicated the carefully shaped ivory strips of fabric hanging off the ends of her shorts, meant to evoke the pure white wings of the mythical Reshiram.

"Fifth, and on a similar topic, you are a splendid actress. I didn't even _like_ Sweeney Todd until you played Lovett."

"Sixth, you are not becoming an alcoholic, because this is the last drop you drink until you're of age!" Bree grabbed the bottle and dish, and chucked them both out the window, where they shattered on the driveway. "And seventh-"

"Breaking the pattern, are you?" Cheren said with a snide tone. Bianca giggled a bit; both Cheren and Bree smiled.

"Whatever, you can get the next two! Where was I? Oh yeah. Seventh." Bree picked up Porkchop and placed him in Bianca's lap. "You love Porkchop, and Porkchop loves you. Julian and Kazumi like you too, see?" True to Bree's words, all three pokemon were now hugging Bianca in a show of support. Well, Julian was leaning against her in as nonchalant a manner as possible. "You're gonna be a great trainer, I just know it!"

"You guys..."

"No, wait." Cheren leaned in. "Eighth, and finally, none of this is going to happen, because _we're not about to let it happen._"

"Cheren..."

"Cheren's right, Bianca. You're our friend, and we're not about to leave you here."

"Bree..."

"You know I'm not one for disobeying authority, but..." Cheren shrugged. "You're father's never liked me much anyway. I think I can make a special exemption in this case."

It was almost too much for Bianca to hope. "You mean...?"

"Leave no friend behind. Bianca Annabelle Noir, you're coming with us."

* * *

Well, this one was longer, since I'm actually starting off the story!

Unfortunately, I can't do any more updates until I get more English names of pokemon and places. Sorry about that.

Anyway, uhm, I hoped you liked this one.


	3. Haven't They Heard Of Dramatic Irony?

Thanks guys!

Okay, so I really couldn't wait any longer for this. The pokemon names have apparently been leaked, but the city/town names haven't yet been released in English. When they do, I'll revise this.

So, uh, enjoy! (And I hope you get a kick out of the shout-outs. I really couldn't resist. Besides, it only makes sense that some popular culture things would be different and yet the same in pokemon, right?)

* * *

The pokeball shook one final time, then snapped closed with a click. The Patrat was caught.

"And that's how it's done!" Professor Juniper's voice was clear and confident. The three teenagers before her nodded, their faces eager with anticipation. Sure, they probably didn't need the in-depth lesson, but it was always good to give a quick review. Minccino-the same one that Cheren saw in the incubator all those years ago, her fur well-groomed and her eyes bright, picked up the pokeball in her mouth and dropped it by Juniper's feet.

"Now remember," she said, "The pokemon will likely break free unless you weaken it first, and pokeballs can only be used once; signatures can't be rewritten. The package I gave each of you with the pokedex in it also has five pokeballs-" Bianca, Cheren, and Bree tore into the packages; Bree whooped in excitement, "-Which should keep you for a while. Accumula is a few hours to the north; you should be able to get there before dusk if you leave now. Good luck!"

"Thanks Professor Juniper! I promise not to let you down!" With that, Bianca dashed off into the thick grass, Cheren not far behind. Bree turned back to Juniper and her small hometown, and waved goodbye-Though not forever, she knew. She took a breath from her inhaler, checked her bag for the prescription (It would be filled at any pharmacy operating out of a pokemon center), and ran off to catch up with her friends.

"Say, where's Cheren?" Bree managed to say after catching up with Bianca.

"Hurried off ahead of us. Said something about racing us and catching pokemon he likes." Bianca flashed a smile, but stared at the ground for a while as she walked, seeming as if she wanted to say something else but unsure how to say it.

They walked that way for a while, Bree's boots crunching against the undergrowth, Bianca's beret snagged by the occasional low-lying tree branch. Such a beautiful summer day, green trees and clear skies and warm air and Bree just wanted to flop down in the grass with all her friends, Kazumi included, and stay that way forever.

"...Thanks." Bianca's voice was soft, uncharacteristically so. "Thank you," she said, "You and Cheren. For being my friends and helping me."

Bree opened her mouth to respond, to affirm that she and Cheren would stick by their scatterbrained friend no matter what, when the Xtransceiver strapped on her left wrist buzzed to life. A few buttons were pressed, and the LCD panels slid into place, revealing the transmitted image of a middle-aged woman with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, almost exactly like Bree's. "Oh, hi Mom!" Bree said. Bianca leaned over Bree's shoulder and waved into the camera as well.

"Bree! Bianca! Are you having fun? Caught any new pokemon yet?"

"Mom, we've been gone for what, an hour?"

Mrs. White rubbed the back of her neck, glancing behind her somewhat apologetically. "Bianca, I've been talking to your father-" Bree felt Bianca tense behind her, heard the gulp, "-And he, well, I'm not sure yet. He said something about how once you reach Castelia and get overwhelmed you'll come crawling back but..." She sighed, "I really don't think parents should force their kids what to do. You should grow up however you want."

Bree didn't even need to turn around to know that her friend was beaming. At this point smoke started creeping in from the edge of the screen. Bree's mother turned around and jumped. "Aah! Not the dishwasher again! Stupid salesman couldn't even bother to-Love you Bree!"

"Love you mom!"

"Bye, Mrs. White!"

_Click._

"Bree?" Bianca finally said as they resumed walking, "Your mom is awesome."

* * *

"Huh. And here I thought that that deliberately acting as a terrible actor would be easy."

"Yeah, most people would think that," Bianca replied, "but actually it's extremely difficult to do well. I myself can barely do it. It's...I think it's because you're acting about acting, so you're doing a layered performance. It's really tricky to pull off right."

The two girls had walked together along Route 1 for what seemed like only a couple of hours, but was actually at least six. A cool breeze blew in from along the adjacent Nuvema Sound, and Bree was thankful that her long thick curly dark brown hair was tied up in a ponytail.

"Damn it! We've been walking for ages and not even a single Patrat has popped up!" Porkchop, trotting alongside his trainer, looked up at this outburst.

"Maybe they're taking a nap, or playing in the sound," Bree mused. Kazumi, perched on her shoulder with a paw on her cap, looked out at the water in desire.

"Then let's go and catch one of them!"

Porkchop sniffed the air, then charged into the grass.

"Hey! Porkchop, where are you going? Come back!" Bianca chased after her wayward pokemon. Bree followed her friend.

They caught up with Porkchop where a small creek cut through the swaths of grass. Two Lillipups, both female, drank from the river. One was small, skinny, almost willowlike in her slight build and graceful movements. The other one was a bit larger, a bit chubbier, brimming with energy.

Bree motioned for Bianca to keep quiet, maybe they would both be able to catch the Lillipups without-

"PUPPY!" Bianca squealed. The two pokemon whipped around, instantly alert.

-Well, so much for that, Bree thought. "Kazumi! Let's go!" The Oshawott flung herself onto the nearest Lillipup, the larger one. The Lillipup ran, but found herself blocked by the river. She closed her eyes and tackled Kazumi, knocking the otter to the ground. By the time Kazumi got back on her feet, the Lillipup had backed away, glaring at Kazumi.

"Kazumi! Try that thing with the shell you did back in my room!"

Kazumi charged forward and flung her shell at the Lillipup-Who lept into the air, grabbed it in her mouth, and with a quick snapping motion flung it back at Kazumi. The shell missed and landed into a tangle of weeds close by. The Oshawott shouted in indignation and tackled the Lillipup head-on, knocking her into the river.

"Nice job, Kazumi! Now stand back!" Kazumi retrieved her shell as Bree flung a pokeball. The Lillipup morphed into a beam of light and was dragged inside the capsule, which shook three times and then was still. Bree walked towards it tentatively. After confirming that the Lillipup was indeed caught, she held up the pokeball with a shout of triumph.

"Nice job, Bree!" However, Bianca could not say the same thing about her situation. The smaller Lillipup danced around on the plain-cum-impromptu battlefield, tantalizingly out of reach of an increasingly frustrated Tepig. One moment the puppy was in front of the pig, the other moment she had lept-actually lept-over Porkchop's back and sent him sprawling with a well-placed tackle.

"Come on, Porkchop! You gonna let yourself get beaten up by a nine pound puppy?"

Porkchop scratched at the ground, growling. Smoke blew from his nostrils as he squealed and charged at the Lillipup. The Lillipup turned on the spot, but before she could meet Porkchop head-on, the pokeball closed around her. Porkchop sniffed the device curiously before Bianca snatched it off the ground. "Puppy! My first caught pokemon!"

Bree was still standing there, that grin etched on her face. "Yep. So, what should we name them?"

A brief pause while Bianca licked her lips in thought. A snap of her fingers, indicating that she got one. "I'm calling her River."

"Because you caught her by a river, or from the show?" Bree snorted a bit.

"Uh..." Bianca tilted her head; her beret slid over one eye before she readjusted it. "Can it be both?"

"In that case," Bree picked up the pokeball and addressed it, "I'm calling you Kaylee."

"I think that's a good one. But River's better! She's gonna beat up everyone!"

"Hey, not now Bianca. They're still tired. Let's get them to a pokemon center and let them get settled first."

Bianca jumped. "Yes! To Accumula!"

* * *

"What took you so long?" Cheren asked in an exasperated tone. "Bianca, I've known you as long as I've known Bree, and I've never seen you on time for anything."

They were sitting in the lobby of the Accumula pokemon center, their pokemon healing in the machines behind them. The sky was already tinted with faint streaks of orange; in a couple of hours the sun would set. Cheren had reserved an inexpensive, spartan room for three at the pokemon center for the evening; a man who had overheard this later saw the two girls accompanying him and muttered something about passing up a great opportunity before Kazumi pulled her shell on him and had to be called off.

Accumula was a large town, but not a terribly important one culturally. It was a suburb of Striaton, Nacrene, and Castelia, a place where people lived, but did not work. They took the trains into the city for that purpose. Nobody lived here permanently; people just passed through. There was no gym. The younger children played in the streets and walked around town, but all the sights to see were condensed into a three-block area. By the time that anybody was a teenager, Accumula became boring. Most of them would take the train into Castelia with their pokemon and friends for the weekend to entertain themselves.

Bree, Bianca, and Cheren were just passing through. Get dinner, get items, stay the night, and move on.

"Hey, Bree was late too! And we were catching pokemon is all. You saw River, right? And Kaylee?"

"Saw them" was an understatement. A more accurate definition would be "The two Lillipups knocked him over and started licking his face, knocking off his glasses and smudging his coat." And people wondered why he preferred cats. Currently said Lillipups were sitting under the table, getting acquainted with their new partners and an increasingly exasperated Julian.

"Well, I'm going to go see if I can get a reservation anyplace. I'll be back in about half an hour." And with that, Bianca walked out of the pokemon center.

"Bree," Cheren said, "I'm going to go stretch my legs. Do you want to come?"

Bianca had just finished clipping her pokeballs to her belt. Half an hour and already the pokemon center was boring as hell. "Hell yeah!" The two teenagers walked out of the pokemon center and into the town.

They spent some time walking the streets, at least the few that had something to offer, past the assorted restaurants and jewelry stores and clothing shops that sold garments at prices that made Cheren choke and splutter and Bree fervently wish that he was drinking something at the time, if only for the absolutely glorious visual that would present.

When they walked past the park, they doubled back and went inside. A small crowd was forming by a raised platform where people were meant to address gatherings. About a dozen people were on stage, wearing the ugliest costumes Bree had ever seen in her entire life. She couldn't help but laugh at Bianca's reaction if she ever saw what they were wearing. The people with no sense of fashion whatsoever were framed by strange flags; shield-shaped, black and white, with a stylized blue "P" emblazoned onto them. An older man in overly opulent robes was talking-and his speech wasn't well-received, if the discontented muttering of the crowd was any clue.

"Huh?"

"What a loony..."

The man on stage was unconcerned. "...Trainers order pokemon to do whatever they please. Unconcerned for the plight of their pokemon, trainers work them to the bone under the guise of being partners."

"What?"

"But we ARE partners!"

"The pokemon are enslaved, unable to reach their true potential...What if we could fix this? What if we could allow pokemon to reach their true potential by separating them from abusive humans?"

People gasped. Cheren and Bree looked at each other, equal parts confusion and shock.

"Wha?"

The green-haired man on stage wasn't listening. He continued his speech, undisturbed and untroubled. "We must liberate the pokemon! We must allow them to reach their true potential-a potential that we humans deny them! Only then will humans and pokemon stand as equals!" He calmed down. "Everybody, please consider my words and what must be done. Thank you."

And with that, the man and his assistants packed up the flags and left. The people talked for a while, mostly scoffing the idea that humans and pokemon should be separated. Then, one by one, they dispersed, returning to their homes, to eat with their family and pokemon. Cheren and Bree remained in the square.

"Regardless, Bree, even if his views are misguided and, in my opinion, crazy, he should be free to say what he wishes, as long as he does so peacefully-which he just did. That's an inherent right."

"I guess you're right," Bree said. "But I love Kazumi and Kaylee! I don't want to leave them, and I don't think they want to leave me."

"I can answer that for you." Cheren and Bree jumped, then turned around slowly. Apparently they weren't the only ones left in the park.

The man who snuck up on them was tall and gangly, as if he had been stretched out. He dressed casually, old brown courderoy pants and a trucker cap placed on top of absurdly long messy light green hair tied back in a ponytail. What appeared to be a rubiks cube hung off of his belt. He didn't look much older than Bree, she thought.

"Sorry I startled you," the man said. "I can hear your pokemon...They speak to me."

Bree and Cheren glanced at each other. Cheren stared at the young man in the most deadpan manner possible, a single raised eyebrow the only marker of his thoughts.

"...You talk fast, don't you. And...They speak to you?"

The young man closed his eyes. "So, you can't hear them? A shame." He opened them, looking over Cheren and Bree. Finding some sort of approval, he smiled faintly. "My name is N."

Cheren blinked. "N. Just N? You're gonna go with that?"

N's eyebrow's furrowed. "...N. My name is N. It is custom to exchange names when meeting new people...Right?"

"Yes, but it's also custom to exchange real names, or, barring that a believable pseudonym when-"

Bree pushed him aside and stuck out a hand. "Pleased to meetcha, N. I'm Bree, and Scowlyspecs over here is Cheren."

"What the-Hey!"

"We're new trainers. Cheren here wants to be the Champion. You?"

"The champion..." N sighed. The smile vanished. "That would require so many pokemon to be imprisoned in pokeballs...I too am a trainer, but...I am sometimes doubtful...Am I really making my pokemon happy?"

"Yeah, you are!"

N looked straight into Bree's eyes (He had to look down; she was at least a foot shorter than he was), pale green eyes boring into deep blue ones. "...Bree, was it? I want to hear the voices of your pokemon!" He tossed a pokeball into the air. A violet-furred Purrloin lept onto the ground.

"Woah, a battle?" What happened to the traditional, "I challenge you!" Didn't this boy have manners? "Cheren, N challenged me! Go, Kaylee!" The Lillipup materialized on the ground, looking around curiously before spotting the Purrloin. She jumped and yelped.

"Kaylee, I know you can do this! Let's knock him out quickly!"

Kaylee closed her eyes and tackled N's Purrloin head-on, tumbling him head-over-heels. The violet cat recovered quickly, though, hissing at Kaylee, then clawing her nose. Kaylee yelped and ran to hide behind Bree's legs.

"Alright, alright!" Bree returned Kaylee to her pokeball. "Kaylee, we're gonna have to make you stronger."

"Is that it?" N asked. "I know you have another. Let me hear more from your pokemon." Purrloin yawned lazily, ignoring the bruise that Kaylee had left on his side.

"You haven't seen anything yet! Kazumi! Let's do this!" Unlike Kaylee, Kazumi instantly sized up the situation. "Kazumi! Knock him into next week!" Using the shell as a sort of impromptu shield, Kazumi charged into Purrloin, knocking the cat into the ground. Kazumi then took the time to shout something angrily in pokemon-speech at Purrloin and N. N widened his eyes as Purrloin sprang up and clawed an unprotected spot on Kazumi's torso. The Oshawott landed a puddle left over from a previous thunderstorm.

Cheren was mouthing something, off to the side. Bree peered closely at the shape his lips were making. It didn't make any sense, what was he-Ah! Of course! "Kazumi! Water Gun!"

As Purrloin lept towards Kazumi, the little otter responded with a blast of water. The jet of water knocked the violet cat into a nearby rock, where he slid to the ground, mewling something incoherently. N ran over to the cat, petting its fur and whispering to it. Bree and Cheren walked over as well.

"I'm sorry, N! Is he going to be okay?"

N wordlessly summoned Purrloin back into his pokeball. "He'll be okay." He got on his knees and stared at Kazumi for a moment. "...There are pokemon who would say such things?"

"N? What did she say?"

N shook his head. "...It's nothing...Pokemon imprisoned in pokeballs can never be perfect." He stood up. "For the sake of my friends, the world must change." He smiled at Bree and Cheren. "It was nice meeting you, and your pokemon as well. I hope to see you again." And with that, he left.

"N! Wait! The pokemon center's that way!" It was no use. He was already out of sight.

Cheren looked at the empty space where he was just a few minutes ago. "...Something is seriously not right about him," he eventually said.

"Cheren! That's not very nice!"

"It was a conclusion based on several observations." He began to count off said observations on his fingers. "First, he introduced himself as N, an obvious pseudonym. Why would he introduce himself as such to two teenagers who pose no threat to him. And if his real name is just N, then that just begs even more questions. Second, his speech pattern is off. He talks quickly, but in short bursts with pauses in between each burst. Also...The laces on his sneakers were untied, and he wasn't wearing any socks. It's very odd. Third, when he mentioned pokemon talking to him, it sounded like he was talking about not body language or individual sounds, but a fully realized language, complete with grammar, syntax, sentence structure, and the like. Fourth, he seems to have almost no understanding of social conventions, and it appears that he has never had any training for social situations. Fifth, his skin is very pale, and I don't think it's the natural pale that Bianca is or that you can be in the winter, Bree. I don't think he's been outside that much. It's just...He's very odd." Cheren shook his head. "Never mind. It's not like we'll see him again. Bianca should be back soon. I'm hungry."

"I suppose. But N seems like a nice person as well. He seems...Honest." Her stomach issued its own comment. Bree chuckled. "And yeah, I'm hungry too."

Truth be told, Bree just remembered N's focused, intense gaze, his emerald eyes meeting hers. ...Intense. That was the word for him. Bree doubted she'd forget the strange young man with the shaggy green hair and a single letter for a name any time soon.

It was at this moment that Bianca bounded up to them. "There you guys are, I've been looking all over for you! Come on, I've got a reservation at this sushi place in about an hour so we should go and..." Bianca trailed off as she noticed the situation around her, a silent Bree and Cheren staring off into a seemingly empty street, as Kazumi sat in a puddle with scabbing scratches on her torso.

"...Did I miss something?"

* * *

Thanks, guys. I hope you enjoyed this.

Uh, speaking of, does...Does anyone know a good beta reader?


	4. It's Battlemania

Hey, thanks for the reviews, guys! Oh, about the pikachu and the eevee, the way I see it is that people in Unova know about the pokemon that live in Johto and Kanto, and vice-versa. However, the importation laws are **very** strict, so as to prevent invasive species and the like. If you want to have a pokemon that comes from a foreign region, then you've got to get the proper permits. At least, that's the way I see it. But thanks! I hope I won't let you down. And with that...

* * *

Though Bree had not forgotten N by the next morning, the strange green-haired man was far from the first thing on her mind as she attempted to train Kaylee on Route 2, just outside Accumula.

"Kaylee!" she shouted, "You may not be as strong or fast as River, but you're good at catching things and better at taking a hit than she is! Kazumi's going to throw her shell at you and I want you to throw it back! Kazumi, go!"

Kazumi flung her shell at Kaylee, following the shell with small rocks, sticks, and even clods of dirt. Kaylee proceeded to essentially play dodgeball, catching the shell in her mouth and tossing it aside, dodging the rocks and sticks, and learning not to notice when the clumps of moist dirt smacked into her side. Other people were here too, mostly young children around the age of ten. Although they were no longer allowed to officially become trainers, with trainer cards and the right to officially challenge gym leaders and catch pokemon outside an approved list, they were able to train the pokemon that they befriended, whether caught on their own or received as gifts, and participate in unofficial battles. Most of the quasi-trainers were doing similar exercises that Bree was doing with her pokemon, whether it was having a Purrloin practice her scratch attack on a tree stump or racing a Patrat along the paved road.

Cheren and Bianca had left a few hours before, right after breakfast. Cheren said something about the school in Striaton and Bianca had already made her way through most of the route. Bree would have followed, but Kaylee needed training-she was far too timid.

Said Lillipup sat down, panting heavily. Bree and Kazumi walked over to see how the little puppy was doing.

"You only got hit by five dirt clumps. Nice, Kaylee!" The Lillipup yipped in happiness as Bree continued, "Remember, they can't hurt you if they can't hit you, and I know you're strong enough to endure any hits. Wear them down and that's the time to strike! Are you up for some more practice? Okay, great! Kazumi? Where are you?"

Kazumi, having run off in the middle of the conversation to search for her shell, ran back to Bree and Kaylee with her shell in hand.

"Kaylee," Bree said as she drew a crude circle in the dirt around the two pokemon with the toe of her boot, "I want you to try to tackle Kazumi out of this ring. Kazumi, try to knock Kaylee out of the ring, but I only want you to use your water gun. That was a nice move against N yesterday, and we should practice it more. Ready?" The two pokemon stood on opposite sides; they smiled at each other and nodded. "And...Go!"

Kazumi immediately attacked by blasting a jet of water in Kaylee's face. The Lillipup was knocked backwards, though not enough to be pushed out of the ring. Kaylee responded by shaking off the droplets of water soaking her fur, glaring at Kazumi the whole time. Kazumi assumed a defensive stance, ready for when Kaylee came charging at her in a reckless tackle. Kazumi shifted her position, ready to knock over Kaylee with a tackle of her own-

"Kazumi! Water gun only!" A small crowd was starting to gather, releasing their pokemon so they could watch the practice bout as well.

-Ah, right. Kazumi tossed her shell up in the air and shot a water gun at it, propelling it right at Kaylee's face. Bree took a half-step forward, ready to withdraw Kaylee back into her pokeball if she got hurt by this-

-Kaylee dove to the ground, the shell rushing past just centimeters above her head and clattering to the ground. She slid into Kazumi, knocking the stunned otter off her feet. As Kazumi tried to stand up, Kaylee tackled her again. Kazumi ran to the shell and gripped her paw around it-then almost immediately afterwards felt Kaylee's teeth gripping around her tail.

Several people cheered and shouted, "Go Lillipup!"

The now-determined puppy tried flipping Kazumi into the air, but only succeded in having the Oshawott break free from her hold. Kazumi responded by blasting another water gun at Kaylee, pushing the puppy back several feet. Undaunted, Kaylee charged head-on into Kazumi. The otter was worn out by the point, and was unable to respond quickly enough to brace herself for the impact. Kazumi wasn't knocked back more than a foot or so, but that was enough for her to slide out of the ring.

"Did you see that?"

"Yeah, that was absolutely amazing!"

"Yeah, Kaylee!" That was Bree cheering. Kaylee ran towards her, tail wagging and eyes bright. "I knew you could do it!"

By this point Kazumi had gotten up and walked over to Bree and Kaylee. Bree picked up the two pokemon, scuffed and bruised, and hugged them both before setting them down. Kazumi bowed as Kaylee approached, and the two pokemon shook paws.

"Say, you're a legit trainer, right?" That was one of the kids who watched the fight. "That was awesome! You wanna battle with me and my Lillipup?"

"Yeah, battle me!"

"Me too!" The kids were all estatic at the prospect of testing out their pokemon against the two who fought so well. By the looks of it, Bree noted, their pokemon seemed to be quite eager too.

She knelt down and sprayed a potion on each pokemon's scrapes, their minor injuries quickly healing from its effects. Both pokemon surveyed their new challengers with interest. "Okay," Bree said, standing up, "Who's next?"

As Kazumi faced off against a young boy's Purrloin, the otter handling her shell with much more grace than she did yesterday, Bree couldn't help but think about N's words. Why did he think that pokemon belonging to trainers could never reach their full potential? Kaylee and Kazumi were so much stronger than they were just a day ago. His concern may have been real, but his words made no sense. And then there was that odd rally in the park, and the man speaking who just raised his voice over the protestations, as if he only wanted to hear himself talking...

Bree pushed the thought out of her mind as the Purrloin paws burst into a flurry of scratches that Kazumi was mostly able to dodge. Right now there was a battle to direct.

* * *

"Wow! That was awesome!"

"See, Pupster? We're gonna be that strong someday too!"

It wasn't that difficult for Bree to defeat the other kids. After all, she was a fully licensed trainer. She would have held back, but realized that she needed to show the kids just what their pokemon could do, to motivate them. Besides, Kazumi was itching for a battle. Now they were only a few minutes from Striaton, where the first gym awaited.

"Breeeeee!" Said trainer shook her head, her train of thought rudely interrupted by a cheery voice that undoubtedly belonged to Bianca. "Hey, you're the late one this time!"

"Oh, hey Bianca." Bree shrugged. "Well, that's what happens when you're training and fighting pokemon battles."

"Speaking of which," Bianca exclaimed, dashing down the road towards Bree. "Up for a battle? I wanna see just how strong Kaylee and Kazumi've gotten! Porkchop and River are stronger too!" Bianca was already rummaging through her seemingly bottomless bag for the two pokeballs.

Bree sighed and shook her head. "Okay, Kazumi. We're almost done here," she said as she released the little otter from the confines of her pokeball. Kazumi materialized onto the pavement, panting slightly from fighting several battles in a row but still willing to keep it up. Bianca's Porkchop scratched the ground.

Before Kazumi could attack, Porkchop rammed into her chest, sending her sprawling.

"Kazumi!" Bree shouted as she whipped out the pokeball. "You've had enough!"

Kazumi slowly got to her feet, swaying slightly. Her eyes narrowed and she growled something under her breath. In a sudden flash, Bree realized what her pokemon was trying to say, even though she couldn't understand the precise words.

_I'm okay, I can do this, Bree. Trust me._

Bree slowly lowered the pokeball. "If you say so...Then go for it, Kazumi!"

Kazumi crouched low in a clump of grass, so shaded by the trees above it that morning dew still stubbornly clung to a few blades. As Porkchop took a deep breath to launch embers at Kazumi, the Oshawott blasted an absurdly powerful water gun at the pig. The potential ember attack quickly extinguished, Porkchop was practically knocked unconscious by the force of the super-effective attack.

The two teenagers stared.

"Woah..." Bianca breathed, green eyes widening in wonder even as she returned her pokemon to his pokeball. "Porkchop, I'm gonna help you be that strong too!" She dug through her bag again, finally coming up with another pokeball. "But right now, River! I choose you!" The pokeball opened mid-air as the Lillipup jumped to the ground. Kazumi glanced back at Bree.

_Tired, don't know if-_

Bree just nodded. "Okay, Kazumi. That was great," she said, as she withdrew Kazumi into her pokeball. In the same movement, she tossed another one into the air.

Kaylee materialized onto the ground. She and River ran up to each other, sniffing each other and wagging their tails. Bianca opened her mouth to shout a command, when Bree touched her friend's arm, holding back the energetic blonde.

"Wait. They knew each other before we caught them. Let them say hi first."

Bianca nodded. "Okay."

After greating each other, the two Lillipups stretched into a play bow and began to fight each other. It wasn't a real fight, nor a friendly yet aggressive bout that was the ususl standard in pokemon battles, but the play-fighting rough-and-tumble done by young children, pokemon, and trainers, the two puppies wrestling with open mouths and grappling with short legs and paws, occasionally jumping apart to stare at each other, then leaping back together, in a clumsy yet somehow still coordinated dance.

Finally, Kaylee, sporting several bruises, managed to trip up River and pin her to the ground.

"Aww, you won again," said Bianca as she returned River to her pokeball. "I can't believe Kazumi was able to do that."

Bree shrugged. "I dunno. She, well, I guess she told me that she had a plan in mind?"

"Told you?" Bianca glanced at the pokeballs attached to Bree's belt. "That's kinda wierd. Anywho, let's go meet up with Cheren!" she exclaimed, grabbing Bree by the wrist and dragging the somewhat bemused trainer behind her into Striaton.

* * *

"She told you." Cheren folded his arms, one thin black eyebrow raised in skepticism. "Bree, I sincerely hope that you're talking metaphorically, and not trying to emulate that person whom you battled yesterday."

"Hey! His name is N-" Why was she defensive of him all of a sudden? "-And maybe he was speaking metaphorically too, huh?"

"Maybe," he responded. Bianca sat on a desk in the classroom and began to read the chalkboard, still filled with that morning's lessons on standard status effects.

Striaton was a big city. It may not have been as tall and imposing as Castelia, but it was spread out, sprawling into different neighborhoods. Here, townhouses full of people who lived there for generations. There, apartments packed with recent immigrants, the community transformed into a minaturized version of their homeland, stores and streets and restaurants lit up with colorful signs written in a language that the three teenagers couldn't even read, much less understand. It had taken Bree and Bianca nearly twenty minutes to find the pokemon center, and twice as long to find the school where Cheren had decided to take an impromptu tour-even with him giving directions over the Xtransceiver.

The Striaton Charter Pokeschool was hardly the only school in the city, but it was one of the best regarded, and one of the only ones that had classrooms for traveling students to listen to short lectures.

More importantly, this school required all students to defeat the Striaton gym leaders and earn the Trio badge as a final exam, a rather large part of the reason as to why the school was so highly regarded.

Right now Bree and Cheren had somehow wandered onto the playground behind the school, where practice battles were held. Well, "somehow" was a bit inaccurate; they just walked out the back door while Bianca fervently wrote into a saffron notebook.

"Bree, let's battle," he said suddenly. "I've been studying item use and I want to see how strong you've gotten."

"Uh," she hesitated. Even though the first thing she did upon arriving was to track down the pokemon center to heal her partners, they were still probably exhausted from the day of training and battling. She told Cheren as such.

"But you said you wanted to be champion, right? Your pokemon are going to have to gain greater endurance," he explained.

Bree sighed. "Kaylee? Ready for one more battle today?" she asked as the puppy materialized onto the rubber field, facing a definitely stronger Julian than before.

True to Bree's predictions, the battle didn't go well for her. Despite Kaylee's tackles and dodges, she was too fatigued to evade most of the Snivy's quick, sweeping attacks. Eventually, she collapsed on the ground, to be replaced by Kazumi. The Oshawott managed to eventually defeat Julian, but not before getting vine whipped into the basketball court in the process.

"Good job, Julian!" Cheren said, returning the little lizard to his pokeball. "But I got another pokemon too. Go, Nekoya!"

A Purrloin-an oddly familiar Purrloin-stood before Bree. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"That's the Purrloin that N used!"

"...Wait, really?" Cheren took a closer look at the violet cat. "You're right!" he exclaimed. "But why would he release you?" he asked Nekoya. The Purrloin merely yawned and stretched his claws in response.

"...Did he release him simply because Kazumi and I defeated him?" Bree's face wrinkled in disgust. "Ugh! And he says pokemon are his friends?"

"Regardless," Cheren replied, "I caught Nekoya, and now we're going to beat you. Ready?" he asked.

"Kazumi! Let's go!"

The Purrloin launched himself at Kazumi, claws outstretched, swiping too fast for the Oshawotto to block them all, even when she used her shell as a shield.

"Come on, Kazumi! I know you can do this!"

Kazumi hurled herself sideways into Nekoya's body; the two of them toppled over each other into the grass. However, before Kazumi could finish him off with another water gun, the cat sprang up with another furious frenzy of scratching, finally subduing Kazumi.

"Dammit!" Bree shouted as she returned Kazumi to her pokeball. "I told you we were too fired to fight well."

"Still," Cheren said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one hand and extending his other towards his friend, "We've got to learn how to fight well in less than optimal conditions."

Bree just folded her arms and glared at him.

Cheren held up his hands in a concilatory gesture. "Alright, alright. I just learned some strategy lessons and I was too hasty in wanting to try them out. I'm sorry."

Bree smiled, that lopsided crook of her lips that might as well be her signature gesture. She walked forwards and clapped her friend on the back in a congratulatory hug. "It's okay, Cheren. And you're right, we need to work on our endurance. I'm going to go jogging with them tomorrow morning, before we challenge the gym. Speaking of..."

"Apparently they also own and operate a really fancy restaurant nearby. I don't know if there's a dress code for the battle, but there might be one for the meal and if the food's that good I really don't want to pass it up. If there is a dress code then I'm okay," Cheren indicated his dark slacks and navy sports jacket, "But you might have to change your pants."

"Eh, I'll deal with it later. For now, we should heal our pokemon and find some place cheap for dinner," Bree said as the two of them walked back inside.

Bianca ran over to the two of them. "Hey guys, that was an awesome battle; I was watching from inside. Maybe you'll both be champions!"

Cheren smiled faintly. "I hope so. That would be quite nice."

Bree hugged both of her best friends. "We'll figure it out later. Right now, let's get back to the pokemon center and find somewhere else to eat."

* * *

Since they took a shortcut through side streets, they didn't pass by the gym.

Since they didn't pass by the gym, they didn't see a young man with long shaggy green hair walk inside.


	5. Trio in Striaton

Hey guys! Thanks for reviewing. So apparently most of the names and stuff have been released, which is really great! Uh, for those of you who read this but didn't leave a review, you don't have to review, but I would appreciate it, if you'd like. Thanks! (God, I'm like a hyper Jasmine.)

And apparently the trainer names for the protagonists have come out. And...It's mixed. (Spoiler alert!) Blair's okay, I guess, but _Whitlea? Seriously?_ Yeesh.

Anyway, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter; I know it's going to be one of the weaker ones in the story, and I'm sorry about that.

* * *

Pokemon Centers were a godsend to young trainers; to trainers in general in fact. Not only did the centers provide free healing to anybody, but they also provided inexpensive rooms, so that a new trainer who couldn't afford to stay at the Ritz wouldn't have to sleep out in the rain and wake up with a Liepard using his sleeping bag as a scratching post.

Of course, the downside of these inexpensive rooms were the spartan settings. The beds, though functional, were quite uncomfortable. More annoyingly, there were no private bathrooms. Even worse, the plumbing in most pokemon centers was quite old.

Hence why Bree White was currently standing in the shower at about 7 AM, wearing thin foam flip-flops (Because nobody with any sense of hygiene would use these communal showers in bare feet) and nothing else, pressed against the wall as a pathetically weak stream of lukewarm water (Even though she had turned up the hot water knob as high as it would go) trickled down her loose hair and bare back. The hapless girl filled the shower with muttered profanities; this "shower" wasn't even washing away the soap!

At which point another trainer down the hall flushed the toilet, replacing the trickle of lukewarm water with a veritable blast of ice. Bree's screaming could be heard outside the pokemon center itself.

Two and a half minutes later, a very angry Bree with a pink towel sloppily thrown around her torso stomped back to the room that she shared with Cheren and Bianca, leaving a puddle trail behind her. Without a word she slammed the door, let the towel fall to the floor, and began throwing on her clothes.

Cheren stretched himself awake, drawn into consciousness by his friend's noisy entrance. The black-haired teenager took one glance at bare shoulders and shifting fabric before quickly deciding to dive under the covers and let the blankets block his view. "Bree," he muttered under the covers, "Must you get dressed in the middle of the room like that?"

"Thought you were asleep," Bree snapped back, dragging her brush along her thick hair and tying it back into a ponytail. "Sorry," she amended as she fed the mass of brown through the back of her baseball cap, "It's just that the plumbing here is complete and utter shit."

"I concur," Cheren mumbled. "Still, though the sight would be visually pleasing on a...primal level, I don't want the first thing I see when I wake up to be you getting dressed. Thankfully Bianca's still asleep and I don't wear my glasses to bed."

"Aww, Cheren," Bree teased as she looked through her bag for her inhaler, "You're saying I'm not pretty?"

Cheren groaned. "You're my friend, Bree. Friends generally don't like to see their other friends naked. Especially when they used to date, because that makes things awkward."

Bree couldn't respond at that moment, as she was currently inhaling the slightly bitter aerosol that allowed her lungs to fully function. After a moment, she placed the inhaler back in her back and released both her pokemon from their pokeballs. "Perhaps. I'm going jogging around Striaton with Kaylee and Kazumi. Meet you and Bianca at the gym at 12:30?"

"Got it. See you then, Bree."

* * *

However, it turned out that even so early in the morning, it was too crowded for brown-haired trainer and her two small pokemon to safely jog through the bustling Striaton streets. So instead, Bree and her pokemon decided to go over to the Dream Park, where apparently a world's fair had taken place about thirty years ago. Now, of course, the exhibits were taken down. All that was left were a few sculptures, two museums, and an open field full of trainers and wild pokemon. Bree and her two pokemon jogged through the park, ignoring the other trainers, when she stopped mid-stride.

About twenty feet away, N was kneeling in the grass, murmuring something to a Munna and an Audino. Before she really had a chance to think about it, Bree had walked over to where the young man was sitting.

"N," she said.

He turned around, a smile erupting on his face. Cheren was right, Bree noticed. N wasn't wearing socks. He wasn't wearing shoes either; the green-and-white sneakers lay on top of one another nearby. His bare feet dug into the grass, long pink toes grasping the blades. His cap lay next to the sneakers; his long light green hair lay unkempt on his head, tousled both naturally and by the light summer breeze.

"Bree," he replied with a smile, which faded slightly when he saw the Oshawott and Lillipup by her side. "...At least you let them run around outside their pokeballs...That's nice."

Bree frowned. What was that about? "N, we're going for a jog before we challenge the Striaton gym. And what about you? ...Cheren told me you released the Purrloin. Why was that? Because he lost?"

The young man stared at her, stunned by this accusation. "I did not!" he said defensively. "I would have returned him to his home anyway, even if he had won." He looked right at Bree, and she knew that he was being earnestly honest. "Pokemon are my friends. I don't take pokemon from their families and homes and stuff them into pokeballs" -He stared meaningfully at Kaylee- "I ask them if they'll assist me in battles, and let them decide on their own, and let them go home afterwards. This Munna and Audino, they helped me beat Cress at the gym. They earned this badge more than I did," N slid his hand into a rather large pocket for a moment, then uncurled his fist. The shiny Trio Badge lay in the palm of his hand.

"Then why don't you let them travel with you?" Bree asked. She didn't have the heart to tell him that Cheren had caught the very same Purrloin just a few hours later.

"Because I don't want to take them from their homes. Pokemon aren't tools. People think they're tools. They're meanies for thinking that!" N actually unconsciously ripped out a few blades of grass at that last remark.

Meanies? What seventeen-year-old still used that word, let alone shout it out loud? "N, I don't treat Kaylee and Kazumi as tools. My friends don't treat their pokemon as tools either. We're friends with them!"

N wasn't listening, at least not fully. "They were well-fed," he whispered to himself.

Well, that was odd. "Excuse me?"

He looked back at her, fingers playing with the cube attached to his belt. "The pokemon. At the gym. They were well-fed."

"Well why wouldn't they be?"

N looked down, plucking a few more blades of grass and rolling them between his fingers. The Munna and Audino had slipped out of sight several minutes ago. Bree sat down next to him; the grass tickled her bare thighs and calves.

N finally spoke. "What about people who use pokemon for research? I was walking around the science musuem before, and there are labs in the back, and some people are working on using Munna's dream smoke as a sleep aid. Do they think that Munna will willingly give it over? What will they do to extract it?" He closed his eyes. "Are Munna just tools to them, then?"

Bree was silent for a while. "I don't think so," she finally said. "At least, I hope not." She looked at N again. "Just like what you said with trainers. I don't treat my pokemon as tools, and neither do my friends. Maybe some people do, but not everyone."

"Maybe...not everyone, but how many?"

"Not as many as I think you believe."

N fished for a response, but came up empty. Even so, she knew that he wasn't deterred. He and Bree instead spent the next several minutes watching a Pansage and a Snivy battle across the park, directed by their young trainers. The two pokemons' vine whip attacks, as if carefully coordinated and rehearsed prior to the battle, met and danced under the summer sun.

Bree sprawled out in the grass, grateful for the cap which shielded her eyes from the sun. Blue eyes may be really pretty, she thought, but they weren't exactly sun-friendly. She glanced over at N, his long green hair touching the ground. He had drawn his knees up to his chest and his toes flexed in the grass. Bree realized that the enigmatic young man was looking at her two pokemon, who had spontaneously decided to play what looked to be a cross between tag and Marco Polo.

"Your pokemon seem...Happy," he blurted. "You...I didn't think pokemon would say such things."

Well, this piqued her curiosity. "What did they say?"

N dodged the question. "Bree, have you been to this science museum before? It's the first time I've been there. I, uh, there's a pretty cool exhibit on the physics behind toys and, uh, I really liked it and maybe you'll like it too...?"

Wait. Was this guy asking her on a date? Not to say that there wasn't anything attractive about the guy, because there was; he seemed pretty nice and was cute in an awkward, childlike, gangly way, but...

Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt? Bree glanced down at her watch.

"Shoot, it's noon." She sighed. "N, I'd like to, but I'm having lunch with my friends in half an hour, and then we're challenging the gym leaders. Would you..." It was a mistake to continue, she knew it, but she pressed on anyway, "Would you like to come along? Even though you've already got the badge?"

N smiled and shook his head. "No thank you, Bree. I actually have somewhere to go right now too. But perhaps some other time?"

Bree eagerly nodded. "Okay then." She shouted to her two pokemon, who ran over, and returned them to their pokeballs.

N frowned at this, but said nothing. He slipped on his sneakers, then stood up and brushed stray bits of grass off of his jeans. As he haphazardly placed the oversized cap over his shaggy green hair, Bree suddenly realized that N was much taller than she was; at least a foot taller. His fingers twitched, as if he was debating whether or not to shake her hand or...Something. Instead, he just smiled, waved, and walked away.

Bree turned in the other direction and began walking back to the pokemon center where her friends were waiting. N was definitely an odd guy, and she really couldn't figure him out. Geez, why did she always have to be attracted to the weird guys?

* * *

Cheren preferred foods that were fresh, crisp, and clean on the palate. Bianca's favorite foods were flavorful, bold, and very creamy. When it came to comfort food, Bree couldn't think of anything better than alphabet soup (And no, she did not still spell out her name with the pasta letters before slurping them down, not at all), but in any other occasion, when it came to food, Bree's rule was: The Spicier, The Better.

Which is why when the young waiter their age, one Lawrence Black, asked the three trainers for their orders, Bree slammed her fist on the table and shouted, "Chili, and so hot it's like Reshiram decided to personally incinerate my mouth!"

The waiter smiled and tucked a loose strand of light brown hair behind his ear. "Okay, so the house salad special, the penne con pollo and the chili. It'll be here shortly. Oh, and good luck fighting the gym leaders." Lawrence left to the kitchen.

Bianca watched him go with a grin. "Okay. He is hot. What do you think, Bree?"

Bree glanced up. "Yeah, I guess."

Cheren reached over and tapped Bianca's bare shoulder. "Bianca," he said with a wry smile, "Right now, I believe our friend is going for someone a bit more...Green."

"Hey!" Bree replied hotly. She looked down again and twiddled her fingers. Dammit, why did Cheren have to be so perceptive? "Well, I did kinda bump into him this morning while jogging..."

"Knew it."

"And well...He asked me if I wanted to see a science exhibit, but I said that I had this planned with you guys..."

"...Okay, didn't know that."

"Eee! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks Bianca," Bree said. She turned to Cheren, eager to change the subject. "So we're battling them after lunch? Do you have a strategy planned out?"

"As a matter of fact," Cheren leaned down and pulled several sheets of paper out of his briefcase, distributing them to his friends, "I do."

"Thanks, Cheren!"

"Well, don't lose them, Bianca. I mean, I can print out another copy, but to do that I need to go to the library again and it's a pain."

They chatted for a while, discussing battle strategies, when Lawrence reappeared, three dishes balanced precariously on his arm. After he placed them on the table with a "Bon appetite," and left, Bree looked at her chili. It was a deep dark red, thick and bubbling in places. She took a whiff and the inside of her nose was immediately seared.

"Aw, yeah!" She gripped her spoon and eagerly dug in, sending bits of super-spicy chili flying everywhere.

Cheren just stared at the bits of meat and peppers that were flung onto his salad and shirt. "Must you be oblivious to your surroundings and eat as if you are a starved toddler who has never seen a spoon before?" he asked in as close a monotone as possible.

Bree continued shoveling the chili down her throat, occasionally chasing it with a long drink of water as her nose ran and her eyes teared from the intense heat; a sliver of tomato landed on Cheren's cheek. Not saying a word, he plucked it off and flung it aside without a second glance, calmly returning to eating his salad with small neat bites. Underneath the table, the pokemon ate their lunches, seemingly oblivious to whatever was going on above. Despite the levity, they were all nervous. Their first official gym battle was coming up, after all.

* * *

After lunch, Lawrence led the three friends to the back of the restaurant, where three battle rings had already been set up.

"They'll challenge you with pokemon that your starters are weak against," he said.

"Hm?"

"I got Pansear for my starter," Lawrence explained, "which meant that Cress and his Panpour challenged me." He turned to leave. "They'll be here soon. Good luck, guys."

"Okay," Cheren muttered to his friends, "I did some research and saw some of the recorded battles in the school. Bianca, you're going to be facing Cress and his Panpour. He's very cautious and tends to stay on the defensive, making strategic attacks. You've got to always stay on the offensive and remain unpredictable. I'm facing Chili and his Pansear; his attacks are powerful but leave his defenses wide open. Bree, you'll be fighting Cilan and his Pansage. He balances between offense and defense, but his attacks follow a set pattern. Remain unpredictable and break the pattern, and you should be fine."

"Thanks, Cheren," Bree replied.

At this point, the three Striaton gym leaders walked in, still in their waiter uniforms. Chili, with a shock of bright red hair, Cilan, with short green hair clipped back, and Cress, with long blue hair that fell over his eyes.

The redhaired gym leader grabbed Cheren by his wrist and dragged him to the arena in the corner. "Name's Chili!" he said, "now let's get this battle started!"

Cress looked at Bianca and bowed with a smile. "How lucky. You'll get to battle the best of us." Bianca gulped.

Cilan stood on the opposite side of the arena from Bree. He took out a pokeball. "Now then," he said, "Shall we begin?"

As if on a predetermined signal, the three leaders released their pokemon at the same time. The three monkeys crouched to attack as Cheren, Bianca, and Bree released their starters.

Julian hissed as the Pansear scorched and blackened his tail. One swipe across the face, and Cheren immediately switched out Julian for Nekoya; the Snivy's job was done.

Bianca shouted commands at Porkchop, encouraging the Tepig to overpower Panpour's defenses. But every time Porkchop knocked down Panpour, the monkey stood back up. Eventually, a powerful water gun blasted Porkchop into the wall, where he slid to the ground, unconscious. Bianca ran over, panicked. After assuring that her pokemon was okay, she replaced the Tepig with River, who lept into battle.

Kazumi cursed to herself in pokespeech. Normally, she would use a tablecloth as cover, a platter as a shield from the constant vine whips. But the gym leaders had cleared out the room before the battle took place, and she had no room for cover. The shell could only block off the attacks for so long. Bree wasn't even giving many orders; she knew that the Oshawott knew how to handle the shell better than she ever could.

And yes, the Pansage had several scratches from when she was close enough to attack, but it wasn't enough. Soon enough, the grass monkey's vines curled around the little otter's body and slammed her into the floor, knocking her out-though not before Kazumi was able to render one vine useless with one final attack.

"Okay, Kazumi! Kaylee! You're up!" Kaylee materialized onto the ground as Bree looked to see how her friends were doing. Cheren's Purrloin was clawing at Chili's Pansear in a frenzy; his fight was almost won. Bianca was having a bit more trouble, as Porkchop was already knocked out and Cress's Panpour was in almost as good shape as he was in the beginning of the battle. River was tiring.

Kaylee shifted her weight, and rammed herself into the Pansage with a cry, knocking the surprised Pansage off balance and stunning both Cilan and Bree with her sudden courage. Ignoring the vine that lashed across her back or the monkey's scratching, she knocked down the Pansage and pinned him to the floor until Cilan withdrew it in defeat. After this, a very sore Kaylee sat on the ground and barked encouragement to her friend before Bree withdrew the Lillipup.

River, directly disobeying Bianca's commands to hold her ground, slid under Cress's Panpour, tripping up the water monkey. She chomped down on his tail and knocked him to the wooden floor as well.

All three gym leaders returned their pokemon to their pokeballs. Cheren, Bianca, and Bree stared at each other, their pokemon in various states of injury and exhaustion.

"Did we...Did we really win?"

Cheren slowly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I believe we did."

All three gym leaders walked forwards, a case in each hand. "Congratulations," they said. "You've defeated us. In accordance with League rules, as a symbol of your victory, please take this badge."

All three trainers simultaneously opened up the badge cases to find the Trio badge firmly nestled in the first slot; the other seven slots awaiting their symbols of victory. Cheren ran his thumb up and down the notches in the badge, Bree stared at it with a dopy grin on her face, and Bianca held the case above her and cheered.

"Awwwwright! Yippee! This is the best day ever!" The blonde-haired girl started dancing in place from sheer joy.

"Hey, hey!" Chili interrupted. "Now don't you guys go losing and giving up, because I'll be upset if I hear that you gave up after I lost to you!"

"Well, I'm going to become the next champion," Cheren replied smoothly, "So I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

"But first, I believe all of us should heal our pokemon?"

"Chili, Cress makes a good point."

Cheren tapped his friends' shoulders. "They have a good point. We can celebrate once our pokemon are healed."

Bree and Bianca nodded. "Yep!" Bree said. "Besides, it won't be a real celebration without our pokemon there, right? Bye, guys! Thanks! And the food was great!"

And with that, with badges in hand, the three teenage trainers from Nuvema returned to the Striaton pokemon center. To all of them, it felt as if they really were actual trainers now.

* * *

Author's Notes:

About the Dream Park: Yeah, I took a couple liberties. In my mind, since Castelia=Manhattan (Specifically, mostly the financial district), and Nacrene=Brooklyn, then Striaton (Which I keep spelling Straiton) is Queens. And the 1964 World's Fair took place in Queens; all that's left now are a few sculptures, a park, and two museums: an art museum and a science museum. That's what I kinda based this off of.

For those of you who haven't already guessed, Lawrence Black is Blair/Black/Touya/The male protagonist. Here he's a waiter/gym trainer in Striaton gym. Speaking of which, yeah, I didn't give the gym leaders their Lillipups in this battle. Sue me.

See you next week!


	6. Let Me Take Some Of The Punches For You

Thank you for your reviews and feedback, guys!

**Sincerely Vienna:** You asked about how I got names, right? According to Fanon, Bianca's last name is Noir. Therefore, to keep with the groanworthy punning, Cheren's last name will translate to "White" in some language. "Shiro" is Japanese for white. Looking at Cheren's sprites and official artwork, I came to the conclusion that our favorite nerd (Have I mentioned that nerds are awesome?) probably has Asian heritage. I translated "White" into Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, and figured that "Cheren Shiro" sounded best. So, in Alphabet Soup, Cheren is half-Japanese or whatever the pokemon equivalent is. There's a reason that White/Touko/Whitlea is Bree White and Black/Touya/Blair is Lawrence Black, and it's not just because if I named him Blair Black it would initial to BB and we've got enough Death Note jokes with N as it is. And then there's Gothitelle. Take a look at her and her pokedex entry.

**Blibet:** In Black/White, the main characters are 16/17, I just gave an outside reason. But thank you!

In any case, please read and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Hang on," Bree said as she attached the pokeballs containing her freshly-healed pokemon to her belt, "I need to go refill my prescription."

"Okay," Bianca replied as she stood near Cheren, who was busy polishing his new badge for the umpteenth time. Bree walked over to the pharmacological section of the pokemon center, which dispensed medications for both humans and pokemon alike, when Lawrence Black walked into the pokemon center and got in line behind Bree, his Pansear by his side. The young man had removed his waiter uniform and was instead wearing a light blue T-shirt with a collar, of a similar make to the one that Cheren was wearing under his sports jacket. Bianca smiled and leaned forward a little as Cheren sighed, closing his eyes and placing his fingers on the rim of his glasses.

"Hey, congratulations on getting the Trio Badge!" Lawrence said with an easy, genuine smile. "I saw the battle; that was pretty impressive."

"Lawrence? What are you doing here? Your pokemon seems to be healthy."

"She is, but," Lawrence said as he took out a translucent orange bottle with a white cap and shook it, "I need to refill a prescription too." He placed the bottle with a prescription slip on the counter; the pharmacist took it with one hand and returned a now-filled inhaler to Bree with the other. Lawrence turned back to the three trainers. "So, what are you planning to do now that you've got the Trio Badge?" he asked, smiling.

"Well," Bree responded, "I'm going to Nacrene and getting the Basic Badge, and I assume that Cheren and Bianca are going to as well-"

"Dinner? With you?" Bianca interrupted. Cheren shot a glare at her, but Bianca continued, "At the restaurant or wherever you want, and then spend the rest of the evening in a park on a bench away from nosy strangers and we can-"

"I'm leaving," Cheren said, a bit too loudly, through gritted teeth. Sure enough, he stood up and walked out of the pokemon center.

Bianca looked at the space where her friend was a moment ago. "Wait, what did I do?"

"Mr. Black?" a receptionist asked, oblivious to the minor altercation that had just occurred. "You have an appointment scheduled for today."

Lawrence groaned and slapped the palm of his hand on his forehead. "Shit. I completely forgot," he groaned.

"Lawrence? Is everything okay?"

He turned to the two girls. "Listen, uh, can you please do me a really big favor? I'm doing some research for Dr. Fennel in town, and I was supposed to go with her to the Dream Lot to help search for Munna today, but I can't cancel this appointment and it's going to take several hours for everything. If you could please go down there and tell her that I can't make it..."

Bree and Bianca nodded. "Not a problem," Bianca said with a smile as she stepped closer to the young man with the milk chocolate hair and eyes.

Said young man held up his hands. "Wait," he said to Bianca. "I don't want to get your hopes up. I'm sorry, but I'm not looking to date anybody right now. It's not your fault, really. You're a very pretty girl, but I just got over a nasty breakup and relationship, and I'd prefer to stay single for a while."

Bianca hung her head, straw hair and green beret hanging over her eyes. "Oh, okay. And I'm sorry, about the relationship, I mean."

Lawrence chuckled. "Don't be. In retrospect, I should have been a bit more concerned when I learned that her nickname was Crazy Bitch."

Bree snorted behind her hand and Bianca lifted her head and smiled. "Okay, Lawrence," Bree said, "We'll go tell Dr. Fennel."

"Thank you," Lawrence sighed in relief. "I've really got to get a datebook or something. Good luck with the gym challenge, and I'm sure your friend is just blowing off some steam outside."

"Thanks," Bree said as she took her friend by the arm and led her out of the pokemon center.

* * *

"Aw, darn it," Bianca muttered to her friend as the two walked through the park.

"You okay, Bianca?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. He's just really good looking is all." She shrugged and readjusted her green beret. "It's okay. There are more cute guys around anyway. And it's not like it would have probably worked out, so it's all good."

"Glad to hear it."

The two looked around the park for Dr. Fennel, passing by an abandoned structure scrawled over with colorful graffiti.

Bianca stopped and glanced behind the wall "Hey, what's that sound?"

Bree walked over. "Hm?"

"There was a squeaking sound over...Ah!"

Behind the wall a small pink pokemon with floral patterns glanced at the two young women. It squeaked softly and shied away.

Bianca's face widened in a grin. "Eeeee!" she squealed. "It's so cute! I wanna hold it!" She ran towards the Munna, when two people in grey outfits appeared before her.

"Found you, Munna!" one of them shouted. "Cough up that dream smoke!"

Bree saw the grey robes and hoods, and the blue emblem on them. She flashed back to the speech in Accumula. "Uh-oh," she muttered.

Bianca looked up at the people with the fierce expressions and outfits that shouldn't be legal. "Hey, who are you? Why do you want this pokemon? And who the hell wears outfits like that? Talk about ugly!"

The woman glared at Bianca, who seemed to shrink under her beret. "We? We're Team Plasma, and unlike you pokemon abusers, we're fighting to liberate pokemon from the bonds of stupid humans!"

"What? I'm not mean to Porkchop!"

Bree's eyes narrowed, her fingers closed protectively around the two pokeballs on her waist.. "Wait, why do you want the dream smoke anyway?"

The woman's eyes closed and she began to recite as if from a script, "This dream smoke will influence the hearts of cruel and callous trainers, softening them and letting them realize the cruelties they so casually inflict onto pokemon. The dream smoke will help us liberate pokemon and so assist them into reaching their true potential."

Behind her, the other man was shouting obscenities at the young pokemon, demanding that it give up some dream smoke. Finally, he kicked the young Munna into a wall. The little pink pokemon slid onto the ground, bleeding slightly from where its back scraped against the concrete.

Bree's mouth dropped open at the abuse-hypocritical abuse, no less!-being casually carried out right in front of her. Bianca's hands balled into fists as she stepped forward.

"You're beating up that pokemon just to get dream smoke? And you say you want to help pokemon? That's horrible! Why would you DO that? And aren't you guys trainers too?"

The Plasma women looked at the two girls with a smirk. "For now, maybe. But unlike you, we're fighting to free pokemon, not enslave them!"

Meanwhile, the Plasma man had stepped away from the Munna. He shoved Bree to the ground and snatched the pokeballs off of her waist before she could get up.

"NO!"

"Yeah, and we're gonna free your pokemon for you!" The man took the two pokeballs and threw them on the ground; the pokemon inside materialized into solid form. "You're free!" he shouted. "Free from the oppressive influences of this abusive girl!"

Kazumi and Kaylee lept into the air with a furious snarl and pounced on the delusional man with the explosive fury of a claymore mine. The woman stepped back in shock and released her two pokemon, a Patrat and a Purrloin, in retaliation.

"Oh no you don't!" Bianca shouted as she released Porkchop and River as well. "River! Porkchop! Help me and your friends!" The Tepig and Lillipup immediately charged at the two pokemon sent to "liberate" Kaylee and Kazumi.

Bree had gotten to her feet and was about to start commanding her pokemon when she realized that the two of them were doing just fine on their own. River ducked, dove, and danced around the Purrloin's claws and chomped down on his tail. Porkchop, meanwhile, lit the Patrat's tail as if it were a candle; the rodent ran around the building yelping until the female Plasma grunt withdrew the pokemon. Meanwhile, the Munna hid behind a piece of rubble, watching the scene being played out before him with wide eyes.

The male Plasma grunt, his face and arms covered in a mass of bleeding scratches, snatched Kazumi by the scruff of her neck as she struggled in the air and was about to fling her against the wall as Bree dashed forward to save her beloved Oshawott-

A older man, with long green hair, clad in billowing saffron and violet robes, flashed into existence right in front of the male Plasma grunt. He choked on air and dropped Kazumi in shock; the little otter ran back to Bree, who returned both her and Kaylee to their pokeballs where they were safe.

The same man materialized in front of the female Plasma grunt, who gasped. Bianca took the moment to withdraw her pokemon from battle as well.

"S-Sir Ghetsis!" she managed to eventually splutter, bowing to the two figures as the male grunt dropped to his knees as well. The two figures merged to one as he stared disdainfully at the two genuflecting grunts.

His crimson scouter glinted in the afternoon light, and Bree felt her chest tighten with an inexplicable, paralyzing dread. It hurt to breathe...

"You were supposed to get the dream smoke to help us liberate pokemon," he said in a level tone. "You failed." The last two words were heavy and final.

The two grunts looked at each other and paled.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap."

"If we go now, maybe we can beg for forgiveness!"

"Damn straight!" The two grunts fled.

When they were safely out of sight, Bree released both her pokemon and swept them into a crushing hug, tears beading at the corners of her eyes. She loved them so much...

"That was really, really weird. Was that, like, a dream or something?"

Before Bree could respond, a tiny squeak reminded them of the reason for the battle in the first place. The two girls ran over to the injured Munna. Bianca rummaged through her bag for a potion, but by the time she found one, Bree was already spraying the medicine on the Munna's scratches, the skin quickly scabbing over. The Munna nuzzled into their arms as a ringing sound filled the air.

Bree and Bianca looked into a clump of weeds to find a larger, lavender pokemon with smoke billowing out around her slowly approach them. The Munna squeaked in happiness and ran over to the larger pokemon-a Musharna, Bree realized-who drew in the small pink pokemon under the crook of her arm.

"Bianca," Bree said with dawning realization, "I think that's his mom. And she made an image of that Ghetsis guy to scare the Plasma guys away."

Bianca walked over to the Munna and Musharna and knelt down, careful not to let her skirt trail in a nearby puddle. "Hey little guy and little guy's mommy," she said. "You're safe now."

The Munna turned to his mother and squeaked something, to which the Musharna responded with a low murmur. The little pink pokemon nudged Bianca's knee, then turned back to his mother, who stared straight into Bianca's bright green eyes and...Nodded?

"Wait," Bianca said to Munna, "You...Want to come with me?" The Munna jumped and squeaked happily. Bianca looked at the Musharna. "Are you okay with that?"

Slowly, Musharna nodded.

"Okay then." Bianca held out the pokeball and opened it with a click. Munna was instantly sucked inside it without a complaint. She hugged the pokeball and Musharna with a "Thank you."

"Don't worry, Musharna," Bree said. "Bianca's my friend, and she's a really nice person. She'll take good care of your son." The lavender pokemon nodded, then returned to her nest, leaving a slight trail of ethereal smoke behind her.

"...That was amazing," uttered a voice behind the two trainers. They jumped and turned around.

Behind them was a woman in a lab coat, around Professor Juniper's age, with flowing dark violet hair. Beside her was a strange pokemon, similar to Musharna in appearance, but bipedal and colored a mustard yellow and dingy brown.

"I'm sorry." the woman said as she walked over to the two girls. She produced a bottle and caught the dissipating wisps of dream smoke inside it as she spoke. "I would have gotten involved, but I didn't want to risk them stealing Morpheus,"-she indicated the pokemon beside her, who was currently observing his surroundings with interest- "because he's not from here."

Bree finally found her voice. "I thought so," she said, "I've never seen that pokemon before."

The woman smiled, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses. "Morpheus is a Drowzee," she said, "I spent a year studying abroad in Johto in college and caught him there as a companion, and he really helps with research. He's not native to Unova, so I had to fill out a lot of forms and get a special permit to bring him back; I'd get in huge trouble if those Plasma guys got him and turned him loose. Oh!" She slapped herself upside the head, "Where are my manners? I'm Dr. Fennel. Thank you so much for helping out that Munna."

"Dr. Fennel? Oh, we've been looking for you! One of your assistants, Lawrence-"

"-Is at the doctor's office?" Bianca nodded, slightly surprised. "It's okay, I understand," she said. "He's going to come running in an hour early tomorrow morning apologizing at how he forgot about the appointment. Perhaps I should get him a datebook..."

Bianca sighed in relief. "That's good. I don't want him to get fired."

Dr. Fennel waved one hand arily. "Don't worry, he won't. Besides, you guys helped me get some dream smoke today. This is perfect! Seriously, thank you so much."

"It wasn't any problem," Bianca said, shuffling her feet. She then pulled a pokeball out of her bag. "Come on, Munna. Let's see the world!"

Bree waved goodbye to Dr. Fennel, then returned to Striaton, headed towards Route 3. She had an idea where Cheren was.

* * *

Sure enough, Cheren was in the middle of Route 3, his Julian doing battle with a wild Pidove. Gritting his teeth against the flurry of pecks and beating wings, the Snivy slapped the Pidove to the ground with his broad, leafy tail.

"Good job, Julian!" Cheren said as he threw a pokeball at the Pidove. A few shakes later, and the device clicked shut. Cheren pumped his fist in the air once, then picked up the pokeball. "Male Pidove," he said to himself. "I'm going to call you Joralemon."

"Hello, Scowlyspecs!" Bree shouted in an overly cheerful tone. Cheren looked at her and walked over, gingerly stepping over puddles of old rainwater and questionable mud. Route 3, which started by a preschool and pokemon daycare and ended in Nacrene, ran by a small cave and a somewhat marshy area filled with reeds, shallow pools of water, tiny streams, and mosquitoes up the wazoo. Bree was never more thankful that she kept a citronella spray in her bag at all times after the steak incident.

"Oh brilliant, I suppose that's my new nickname now," Cheren muttered as he walked over to his best friend.

Bree folded her arms. "Only when I'm ticked at you," she replied. "What was up with you in the pokemon center?"

Cheren pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. This was not going to be fun. "It's because she was flirting with him right in front of all of us. I felt uncomfortable, and I didn't want to see her acting like that around someone she just met."

"Really now." A slow smile crept its way up Bree's face, and Cheren suddenly felt the temperature jump at least five degrees.

"Bree, it's not like that. I assure you that my reaction did not stem from jealousy-"

"-Who ever said anything about jealousy?" The smile crept wider, and was definitely entering smirk territory.

_Dammit!_ "That's not it!" he said hotly. Hotly? "It's, well, when we were dating, we never did anything more than a peck on the cheek or corner of the mouth in public; there's a privacy thing involved."

Bree smiled, remembering times where she had the black-haired youth pinned up against the wall, his coat scuffed and glasses askew as he dug his fingers into her thick mass of dark chocolate hair and pressed his mouth to hers. "Well," she said, with what was now most definitely a smirk, "What about that time when we were in Bianca's backyard making out and-"

Cheren shouted something incoherent before finally stammering, "She was upstairs that doesn't count!" with flushed cheeks.

"Ha, just messing with you," she laughed.

"That wasn't funny," Cheren grumbled, though he smiled a little bit just the same. And seriously, him and Bianca? She was so...Flighty; it would never work out. Friends? Yes, definitely. Romance? ...No.

Cheren quickly banished the brief, vivid, traitorous image of Bianca laughing in his arms, brushing her lips against the hollow of his neck, and returned to the rather more important subject on hand. "Speaking of which, where is Bianca?"

...Dammit.

"Well, after you left in a huff, Lawrence asked if we could help him out by finding Dr. Fennel for him, so we went to the Dream Lot where the World's Fair was years ago and where I ran into N yesterday, wonder where he is, and there was a Munna there..."

With that, Bree recounted exactly what had happened in the Dream Lot, from the hypocritical Plasma jackasses trying to beat the dream smoke out of the Munna, to knocking her down and trying to steal her pokemon, to her pokemon beating the living snot out of the grunts, to Bianca's pokemon joining in, to the Musharna-induced hallucination of the disturbing man who scared the living daylights out of Bree for reasons that she still couldn't quite place, to Dr. Fennel, to the Munna deciding to travel with their flighty friend.

Cheren blinked behind his red-rimmed glasses. "Wow."

Bree shook her head, her thick brown ponytail traveling in an arc behind her. "I know. It's really weird. And they're kinda scary too. They say they want to free pokemon, but they're doing it by stealing them from people. I don't know why N seems to support them. Maybe he doesn't know what they're really doing? Because there's no way he'd support them if he knew otherwise," she mused.

"Their motives may be good, but if they steal pokemon, then their methods are misguided, unjust, unethical, immoral, and illegal."

"Exactly."

Cheren looked around. "Wait, if you were with Bianca, then where is she?"

"Oh, she went over to the day care and the preschool for a little while; her cousin Michael goes there and she wanted to say hi, I guess."

Cheren smiled. "That's good." He looked at the two pokeballs hanging off her belt. "Say, Bree. I just caught a Pidove. Do you want to test how strong our pokemon are?"

Bree unclipped the capsule holding Kazumi. "You're on."

But before either of them could release their pokemon, Bianca came running up the road towards them, panting heavily, out of breath. A young girl was beside her, sobbing incoherently.

"Bianca! What's going on?"

"Is everything okay? What happened?"

"They...Meanies...Puffball!" the kindergartner sobbed.

Bianca's eyes were wide and her voice was frantic. "It's those Team Plasma goons!" she yelped as the child cried. "They stole this girl's Cottonee!"

* * *

A/N: Wow. I can't believe I got that up so quickly. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this update. I wish I could conclude this cliffhanger this week, but I've got a massive paper due on Friday, so actually, it probably wasn't the best idea for me to do this in the first place...It's okay. I know I can get the paper done. Thanks for reading!

I was going to mention the medication the Lawrence needed by name, but I realized that although I have a general idea what his condition is, I don't know the specifics, and therefore I don't know the specific medication necessary. Since I'm not a doctor (yet), I'm not going to give what I know will be an incorrect piece of information. Sorry!


	7. He's A Touchy Guy

Hey guys, thanks for the reviews! You know how much I love them, so please!

**Naryfiel Lilith:** Oy, Organic Chem? I'm planning on becoming a veterinarian, which means that I'm going to have to deal with that class in a couple years...In any case, good luck! That's a lot more important than any fanfiction. And don't worry, all will be explained in time. And the thing is that Bree and her friends **have** to win against the Plasma grunts, because otherwise they'll take their pokemon. Trust me, Bree is **not** going to win every battle. But thank you!

In any case! Now they're entering Nacrene, which is the Unova version of Brooklyn. And I'm fairly sure that the museum in Nacrene is a representation of the American Museum of Natural History, AKA ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Why they put the Museum of Natural History in **Brooklyn**, I'll never know.

In any case! Please read and enjoy!

* * *

"What?" Their voices echoed simultaneously throughout the clearing, brushed by the reeds.

How could Team Plasma do something like this? The girl wasn't even six, and these...These _goons_ had stolen this girl's beloved pokemon, just as they had nearly stolen Kazumi and Kaylee...

"Where did they go?" Bree shouted.

Bianca pointed to a ledge several hundred feet away. "There's a cave in there," she said, "And I think they went in there with the Cottonee."

Bree turned on her heel and sprinted towards the cavern. Cheren followed her, ignoring the mud that splashed onto the hem of his slacks.

"I'll stay here and make sure the girl's alright!" Bianca called after them. She turned to the sobbing girl. "Don't worry," she said, "My friends are going to get your Cottonee back."

* * *

The water table in the area around Route 3 was quite high, and it showed. Bree's boots and the hem of Cheren's slacks were encrusted with greenish-brown mud. The cavern, Wellspring Cave, where the two childhood friends were facing off against half a dozen Plasma grunts flowed and bubbled with fresh water, a result of the upwellings from where the water table coincided with ground level.

Cheren, ever the neat freak, didn't even care that he'd have to find a dry-cleaner by the end of the day. His blue eyes narrowed behind slim glasses, Cheren stepped towards the grunts. "Give us back the pokemon you stole," he said in a low voice.

One of the grunts sneered. "What, just give it back and leave it to be abused?"

Cheren spluttered. "W-What? We don't abuse pokemon! It's a symbiotic, mutualistic relationship!"

Bree responded in a more aggressive way, by releasing her two pokemon. The Lillipup and Oshawott, upon realizing the situation, growled and moved around Bree defensively.

"Yeah! Hold out your pokemon and we'll nab 'em too!"

"Bree," Cheren sighed, "I swear, your impulsiveness will only cause you harm at some point...Yet right now I don't see any other way. Julian! Nekoya! Joralemon! Help us take back this stolen pokemon from these thugs!" As he shouted the names of his pokemon, he released them from their pokeballs.

The half-dozen grunts released their pokemon as well; Bree's stomach churned with the sneaking, sinking suspicion that these pokemon were stolen as well. There were nearly fifteen pokemon, an assortment of Patrats, Purrloins, and what Bree eventually recognized as Sandiles. The pokemon pressed in on the Oshawott, Lillipup, Snivy, Purrloin, and Pidove. Kaylee looked at all the pokemon about to attack, yelped, then squeezed through the press of pokemon and ran to a higher point in the cave, out of sight.

"HA! See, even your pokemon knows that it's better to be free!"

"Bree, did your Lillipup really just run for it?"

Bree grit her teeth and said nothing. Kaylee would be back, she knew it. The Lillipup was planning...Something.

With the two trainers guiding, their pokemon were executing a battle based on planning and strategy as well. Nekoya was busy demonstrating to two other Purrloins that a real catfight was **not** laden with fanservice, Julian had wrapped his vines around a Patrat's tail and used him as a club, and Joralemon had just picked up Kazumi and flew over the crowd with the Oshawott in his claws; the little otter using her shell, blasted by repeated water guns, as impromptu artillery. The Plasma goons stared in shock at the coordination between the trainers and their pokemon, of the bonds between the pokemon and their trainers, childhood friends.

But there were fifteen pokemon, and the Plasma goons to boot. Cheren and Bree's pokemon were tiring. Already Joralemon tumbled to the ground from a well-aimed swipe; Kazumi landed head-first into a puddle, her face full of mud. Nekoya was pressed against the wall of the cave, paws sliding against wet pebbles, hissing and spitting at the two advancing Sandiles. Julian lashed out at an approaching Patrat, but the Snivy's vine whips were noticeably weaker than before, and didn't even mark the rodent's fur. Bree and Cheren looked at each other.

"There's too many..."

"Are we going to have to withdraw our pokemon and run for it?"

"...I..."

As the Patrat knocked down Julian, and prepared an ending blow, a blur of tan and white bowled over the rodent, driving him into the ground. The blur barked.

"Kaylee?"

"Kaylee! I knew you'd come back!"

One of the grunt's mouths gaped open and resembled a fish at the sight of the Lillipup.

"You see?" Bree's eyes glinted in the reflected light from the entrence of the cavern. It was not a friendly glint. "If I abused Kaylee, why would she ever come back?"

As the Patrat and three other pokemon that were still able to battle-a Purrloin and two Sandiles-focused their attention on Kaylee, the little puppy, trembling yet still standing in place, barked.

A line of upraised dirt advanced towards the five pokemon. A claw erupted from the wet earth and grabbed one Sandile by the tail, dragging the pokemon below ground. After a few moments of struggle, the clawed pokemon-a Drilbur-had pinned the Sandile to the ground. He looked at Kaylee, who barked in happiness and wagged her tail. With the arrival of the Drilbur and the return of Kaylee, the other pokemon fought back with renewed effort. Within just a few more minutes, the remaining pokemon lay collapsed in a little pile, which Julian climbed on top of with crossed arms and a haughty look on his reptilian face.

The grunts returned the defeated pokemon to their pokeballs, taking a collective step backwards. Bree and Cheren stepped forwards. The light shone off of Cheren's glasses, reflecting off the lens, and for a brief moment obscured his eyes completely.

"Congratulations," he said, venom spat out with his words, "You've just confirmed that you're a merely a pack of bullies and low-life cowards. Now give us back the pokemon."

The grunts glared at the two teenagers. Finally, one of them flung the Cottonee into Bree's face. "Fine," he grumbled, "But it's such a pity that this pokemon is just going to be abused. We would have set it free!" And with that, the grunts ran off.

Cheren watched them go, merely shaking his head. "Humans help pokemon grow stronger, and pokemon assist humans in return. They're the pitiable ones."

Bree nodded, holding the stolen Cottonee in her arms. "Let's go return Puffball to the girl."

But before Bree could leave Wellspring Cave, she felt something nudge against her ankle. Looking down, she saw Kaylee wag her tail, then look at the Drilbur and bark.

"Kaylee," she asked, "Did you get this Drilbur to help?"

Kaylee barked happily. Drilbur glanced at Bree and nodded.

"Thank you," Bree said, getting down on one knee as she did so. Strange...The Drilbur was just standing there. Kaylee was now nudging one of the pokeballs strapped to Bree's belt. The girl took a closer look at the Drilbur. Now that she thought about it, he was caked in mud, and seemed to be quite thin-she didn't think that she should have been able to see his ribs so easily. This earth was muddy; tunnels would collapse soon after they were formed. Already she could see that the little tunnel that the Drilbur made had collapsed into a sinkhole. This was no place for a ground-type, and certainly no place for a Drilbur.

"Drilbur," Bree said, taking out a pokeball, "Do you want to come with me?"

Kaylee jumped up and down, barking in happiness. The Drilbur shrugged, then slowly nodded.

"Alright!" she whooped in delight as the orb closed around the little mole pokemon, "I think I'm gonna call you Simon."

"Come on, Slowpoke!" Cheren's voice called out from the mouth of the cavern, "We've got to return this pokemon! What's causing the delay?"

Bree held up the red-and-white pokeball. "Coming!"

* * *

"Eeeeee! Puffy! I've missed you so much!" The little girl squeezed her pokemon, tears of happiness and relief beading up at the corner of her eyes. Puffball returned the hug. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Bianca took the little girl by the hand. "I'm going to take her and her pokemon back to the daycare, and make sure that everything else is alright."

Cheren nodded. "I'm going to go with you and file a police report." He glanced down at his slacks for the first time and his nose wrinkled in distaste. "...And then I'm going to find a dry cleaner. Bree," Cheren turned around and looked right at his friend, "Please don't ever do something so rash as that again. They could have taken your pokemon too. It may have worked out then, but it might not next time."

Bree just laughed it off and assured him...And herself as well, "Relax, Cheren! Everything's absolutely fine, see? I'm going to make sure that there aren't any more thugs around, and then I'm going to go get Simon something to eat. See you in Nacrene!"

When her two friends had left, Bree released Kazumi, Simon, and Kaylee. "Kazumi," she said, "Could you please help me clean our new partner off while I make lunch?"

After the two pokemon washed the dirt off of Simon, Bree placed three bowls of food in front of the pokemon. Within two minutes, Simon had polished off his bowl and got to work on Kaylee's before Bree refilled his dish with more of the mix.

As she walked to Nacrene, Simon burrowing in the increasingly drier dirt beside her happily, Bree came across a small herd of Blitzle. "Simon, return," she said. Bree slowly walked towards one Blitzle, standing apart from the rest of the pack. The striped zebra glanced at Bree nervously, ears flicking in slight agitation. "Shh," Bree said, holding up her hands, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

_Eric._ Bree had a Blitzle once, named Eric. Apparently her mom had adopted the pokemon when she was just a baby. Bree said apparently because she couldn't remember much of anything before she was six; for her, clear memories only started when she had moved to Nuvema. She and Eric had been very close; Eric was quite mistrustful of humans, but was more than happy to let Bree ride around town on his back as the residual electricity tingled under her skin and stood her hair on end. Eric had apparently saved her life once, though she didn't know the details.

Of course, Eric was gone now, his ashes stored in the Celestial Tower.

The Blitzle standing before Bree now, in Route 3, nickered softly and lowered his head so Bree could pet him. Her fingers stroked short, stiff fur and brushed against the jagged horn. She stratched the Blitzle's neck, and felt the strange, yet not unpleasant pinpricks of electricity dance up her arm. Bree felt a weight lift off the back of her neck; the static electricity caused her thick dark brown ponytail to rise up into the air.

It would be easy to catch him, she knew. But...She wouldn't. She _couldn't_. It wouldn't be Eric, it wouldn't be the same. And...She always got the feeling that Eric never really wanted to be caught in the first place.

The Blitzle turned and rejoined the pack, called by some unknown signal. Bree watched the pokemon go. Little shoots of electricity still tingled her fingertips.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Unbeknownst to Bree, N was watching from across the route. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. The girl...She could have easily caught the Blitzle, but she didn't. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he got this sense of...Trust. And love.

She looked at the wild Blitzle the way he looked at all pokemon. No, she looked at the Blitzle the way he looked at Zorro.

The pokemon belonging to trainers...Very, very few of them harbored an intense dislike for the humans who enslaved(?) them.

...Wait, when did enslaved become enslaved(?)...

No. N shook his head. Perhaps these trainers were okay, but they would soon become cruel and selfish.

But the Blitzle. Bree, placing a hand on the zebra's head, smiling as her ponytail was lifted into the air from the electricity...

N walked away. His steps were slower than they were just before. His hands played upon the menger sponge hanging off of his belt. He was thinking.

* * *

Nacrene was huge. There were some places where it was a Bad Idea to go, but all cities had places like that. However, where the pokemon center was, Nacrene was beautiful. Tight brownstones lined the streets; just a little further away, old warehouses and the like were converted into studio apartments for young Nacrenites to live cheaply. Small cafes and international markets were scattered all over the city, just waiting for the knowledgeable local or curious tourist to discover. The Nacrene Museum, full of art created throughout the ages and around the world, was currently hosting an exhibit from local artist Arthur "Arty" Burgh, who also held the position of Castelia gym leader.

Bree and her friends had spent the past week in Nacrene just walking around, enjoying the sights, trying to relax because there were no signs of Team Plasma anywhere, thank the gods. They had spent two whole days in the Unova Museum of Natural History; the gym was located in the basement, but they had no intention of challenging Lenora, one of the curators, just yet. Instead, they wandered throughout the enormous museum, through the displays of environments around the world, past the ancient, towering skeletons of Rampardos and Bastiodon, under the giant Wailord and around the panorama of ocean life. They held fossils in their hands and watched the living fossils of native Tirtouga and Archen play in their enclosures, and listened to one of the scientists talk about how they were perfecting a method of extracting the DNA from the fossils with minimal damage to the fossil itself. Cheren walked through the halls of evolution with a look of humbled awe, Bianca took pictures and notes of the different designs of pokemon and how their camouflage evolved, and Bree explored the space exhibits, grasping meteorites and failing to grasp the sheer _scale_ of the universe until Cheren showed her the tables mounted to the wall and explained them to her in a humbled voice.

Right now, however, Bree was sitting in a cafe, scarfing down a creamy, delicious wild mushroom and goat cheese strudel that Bianca had very excitedly recommended to her as her pokemon shared some kind of fish and rice dish specially made for pokemon. While she was in the middle of eating, she felt a presence behind her and heard a voice.

"Bree."

Bree choked on her strudel for a moment before finally being able to swallow it with a glass of water. She turned around. White shirt, khaki pants, cube thingy, long wild green hair pulled back in a ponytail. "N," she said. Of course. Who else would sneak up behind her without a word of warning.

She took a closer look at his face-specifically, his eyes. His pale green irises were rimmed with red, and his cheeks were streaked with dried drops. "N," she asked, somewhat cautiously, "Have you been crying?"

N slowly nodded. "Look at this," he said, sliding over a newspaper, folded to a specific article, to the sitting girl. "Look at this and tell me that pokemon only benefit from humans."

Bree read the article slowly, her heart sinking as she scanned the words.

_Zorua Mill Raided Outside Route 12_

_Nearly five hundred Zorua have been rescued from a breeding mill-a facility that serves to breed pokemon for commercial sale, often in deplorable conditions-that was shut down after a police investigation. _

_"At least the Zorua are safe now," said Adrian Silver, who, along with approximately thirty other people, volunteered to transport the rescued Zorua to a veterinary facility for health examinations and behavioral testing. "They'll never be hurt like this again."_

_Many people are enamored by these rare pokemon, and mills serve to breed them and sell them en masse to the unsuspecting public. Often, these pokemon have severe behavioral issues, and both illnesses and genetic diseases run rampant in pokemon bred this way. Reponsible breeders will make sure that their pokemon are healthy and well-socialized. _

_Although Zorua mills are only found in Unova, the concept is sadly found all over the world. In the Kanto and Johto regions, the backwaters are dotted with literally thousands of neglected Eevee facilities. In Hoenn, a Ralts mill that held over seven hundred Ralts was exposed by the Ralts bought at auction by pokemon activists. In Sinnoh, the popularity of Riolus and Lucarios has grown so much in recent years, thanks to several high-profile Lucarios, that Champions Cynthia Alune and Zoe Dawn, along with noted Lucario breeder Riley Aurelius and Veilstone Gym Leader Maylene Cobb, have produced several advertisements in which they implore people to buy a Riolu from a reputable breeder, or adopt from their nearest shelter facility._

_The Zorua will be medically evaluated, then spayed or neutered and placed up for adoption. The owner of the Zorua mill was arrested on pokemon cruelty charges. He offered no comment._

N watched Bree finish the article, his eyes filled with tears. "You see? Look at what we've done to these pokemon! How can you say that we're good to pokemon when we do this to them? What they did to Zorro..."

"N." Bree's voice was soft as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Look. Yes, what he did to these Zorua is horrible, but look at all these people who went to help. They did it out of the goodness of their own hearts to help these pokemon. And...And to take away pokemon from people, like Team Plasma wants, just for the actions of a few people..." Bree was rambling, but N had actually fallen silent. Was he listening to her? "N, I fought Team Plasma twice, and you know what I saw? The first time, I saw one of the goons kicking a Munna." Bree could feel N's body stiffen slightly at that. She continued, "When my friend and I went to help the Munna, he tried to steal my pokemon, but they fought back, entirely of their own accord. And later, they stole a girl's Cottonee. Cheren and I got the pokemon back, but...They stole a pokemon from a five-year-old girl! How could anyone do that?"

N looked at her. "Battle me," he said.

"What?" Seriously, where did that come from?

"Battle me. I want to see your bonds with pokemon. We just beat Lenora, so my friends are very tired, but...I want to see your bonds with your pokemon!" With that, he sent out a Pidove.

Now Bree was all business. "Simon! This is your first battle, so let's make this count!" The Drilbur, who had just finished his meal, turned to face the pigeon pokemon.

It wasn't the smartest of match-ups. Simon, a ground-type, simply couldn't reach the Pidove, who flew around the little mole, only descending to scratch at his head.

"Simon! Stand on the table!"

Of course. The Drillbur climbed up the table and, as N's Pidove swooped past him, lept on the Pidove's back and drove him into the ground. Simon held up his clawed hands in victory...

...And promptly took a bubblebeam to the face, courtesy of Tympole, which N had just sent out. Bree promptly replaced Simon with Kaylee, with a shout of, "Kaylee! Go fetch!"

Fighting past the bubbles which stung her skin and made her paws slip on the ground, Kaylee bit the tadpole on the tail, and flung her into N's face. Tympole slid down N's face and into his hands, leaving a little trail of slime behind. Bree doubled over giggling; N sighed but smiled a bit all the same. Wiping off the slime with the back of his hand, N replaced the unconscious Tympole with a muscular, humanoid pokemon with a smirk and a floppy thing hanging off of its forehead. "Timburr!" N shouted, "Batter up!"

"Kaylee, take him down!" Bree shouted. Kaylee barked and ran towards the Timburr in a reckless, head-on attack.

Timburr ripped out a plank of wood and slammed it into Kaylee, sending the puppy flying across the room, where she crash-landed into a table.

"KAYLEE!" Bree shouted as she ran over to her puppy. N followed her, concern and panic etched on his face.

"Lillipup, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? I didn't mean for him to hit you so hard..."

"N, she's okay," Bree said as she withdrew her pokemon into the pokeball. "The pokeball will keep her stable and she'll be fine. They're tougher than you think. Do you want to finish the battle?"

N nodded. Bree motioned for Kazumi, who was watching the battle this entire time. "Make it count," she said.

Timburr's attacks were slow, but strong. If Kazumi got hit by more than a couple, she'd be knocked out and she knew it. The Oshawott played cautiously as a result, unable to get in any really powerful attacks.

Finally, however, Timburr slammed the plank of wood vertically into the ground-in a place that was still a bit wet from sprinklers used earlier in the day. The plank got stuck in the mud. In the time it took for Timburr to pull out the plank of wood, Kazumi had already run up its length and struck Timburr in the head with a water gun-enhanced swipe of a shell. Timburr fell backwards. Kazumi had won.

"Alright, Kazumi!" Bree shouted in triumph as N returned his last pokemon. But Kazumi remained hunched over on the ground. "Ka-Kazumi?" The Oshawott trembled slightly, and did not move.

N walked over with held breath. "Bree, I think your Oshawott's-"

At this moment Kazumi was bathed in a brilliant light, which burst outwards all at once. Inside the light, Kazumi screamed as her body lengthened and _changed._

"She's...She's evolving!"

The light slowly faded, and Kazumi the Oshawott collapsed to the ground, then slowly stood up again.

Except that she wasn't an Oshawott anymore. Her head was covered in sleek blue fur now, and her muzzle was narrower. Her tail was longer, and her limbs and fingers-she now had clearly defined fingers!-were more dexterous. Longer black fur hung around her waist, and Kazumi now had two shells instead of one, both longer and slightly curved, with the one on her left a bit larger than the one on her right. Kazumi gripped the shells and, still adjusting to her new body, scored several notches in the wooden fence in the back of the restaurant. The Oshawott, now a Dewott, shouted in triumph.

"Kazumi!" Bree ran over and hugged her pokemon. N hung back, a faint smile on his face as he uprighted a table knocked over in the battle. Bree noticed the silence. "N?"

N sighed. "You care for your pokemon. At least, that's the way it seems...But these people..." He ran a couple fingers through his green bangs that poked out from under his cap. "I wonder...You've heard of the stories of Reshiram, right? And Zekrom? I wonder if a really powerful pokemon could make them stop? What if the champion got involved?" N took on a dreamlike, almost rapturous expression as he continued. "I'm good at being friends with pokemon. I'll make every pokemon in the world my friend." He turned back to Bree. "I hope to see you around," he said. "I know you understand."

And with that, he left, leaving Bree in the cafe with her pokemon. As she finished tidying up the back area and paid her bill, Bianca came over, bouncy as usual.

"See, Bree? I told you that strudel was fantastic! And I think I just saw that N guy you mentioned, he's got long green hair? He's really cute!" She then noticed that Bree didn't say anything. "Bree? You okay?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. Sorry, Bianca."

Of course, she was thinking about how strange N was. He was so...Touchy. You said the wrong thing around him, about pokemon, and he was so...Combative, and evasive. There was something he was hiding, and she had no idea what. And when he was so intense like that, talking about Reshiram and Zekrom...it almost scared her. And yet, he seemed to genuinely like her. Was the touchiness an act, or was it the other way around? He was a blend of colors and shades, and she wanted to separate him into black and white, so she could figure out exactly was going on with him.

But then again, you can't exactly separate someone into their separate components and expect them to remain the same. It's the blends that made a person who they were.

Bree shook her head. No matter. Today there was time to spend with her friends, and time to help Kazumi adjust to her new form, which Bianca was currently fawning over. And tomorrow, she would challenge Lenora, and attempt to earn the Basic Badge.

Frankly, she had had enough of Team Plasma for a while. They were just fringe fanatics. What serious harm could they do?

* * *

A/N: Perhaps Bree shouldn't have said that last bit...

The Nacrene Museum is based off of the Brooklyn Museum, an art museum. And I like Arty a lot more than Burgh, so there. :P

Okay, author tract here: Seriously, puppy mills are HORRIBLE places. They shove the dogs into tiny little cages where they churn out puppies their whole lives and never see grass and never ever feel any love from people. And when they can't breed any more, many times the owners just shoot them. It's horrible. And those puppies end up at pet shops, where they were never properly socialized and often have genetic conditions. Please. Get a dog from a reputable breeder or adopt. Do a bit of research online, because seriously. Puppy mills are basically animal cruelty for profit. Okay, I'm done. Sorry about that.


	8. Just A Bunch Of Rocks?

Yay, second update this week! Sorry it's so short, but a) I wanted to put it up, and b) This was really the best cut-off spot.

Fun Fact: Cheren's Pidove? Joralemon? He's actually named after a street in Brooklyn. The 4 and 5 subway trains have a stop there. The Joralemon street tunnel was the first underwater subway tunnel connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.

In any case, I've probably kept you long enough. Enjoy!

* * *

"I finally did it!"

The voice echoed around the corners, the sound soon followed by the young man running down the corridor of the museum, so excited that he actually bumped into someone. Bree and Bianca turned from an exhibit on pokemon in the southern Kanto region, mounts and models and skeletons on display, to see their friend grinning with a rectangular strip of shiny metal in his hand.

"You beat Lenora?"

Cheren held the Basic Badge up in the air for his friends to see. Several other people noticed as well. After all, they were in the middle of the museum. "Yes, I did," he said proudly. "Took me long enough too!"

It had been two and a half weeks since Bree had fought the enigmatic N again and two and a half weeks since Kazumi evolved; September had just begun. In that time she had adjusted to her new form and fought against Cheren and Bianca's pokemon, winning some fights and losing others. After a week, Cheren had declared himself ready for his second gym battle and signed himself up to fight Lenora. The bespectacled young man practically marched into the arena, head held high and dark blue eyes brimming with an almost arrogant confidence, assured of his victory.

And then he promptly got trounced. Thoroughly. As in his pokemon were barely able to launch a single attack. Cheren walked back to the room at the pokemon center in a state of shock. Four days of training later, Cheren challenged the Nacrene gym again. And got curbstomped. Again. According to Cheren, Lenora's Herdier slammed into Nekoya so hard that the cat actually left a dent in the floor from the impact, but Bree wasn't really sure whether or not her friend was exaggerating.

In any case, it took a week of training, sympathetic ears, and trips to several different ice cream parlors for Julian to evolve into Servine and for Cheren to try battling Lenora again. With a newly-evolved Servine, he was actually able to earn the Basic Badge, which he was now proudly presenting to his two best friends, on the third attempt.

"Alright, Cheren!" Bree slapped her friend on the back with an open palm and Bianca threw her arms around him.

"Go Cheren!"

Cheren smiled and returned the hug. "Well, at least I never have to fight Lenora again," he sighed with relief, "Seriously, her pokemon are extremely powerful."

"Yeah, I saw the look on your face after that battle," Bianca said with a rueful smile. "I'd never be able to beat her." She sighed and tugged the brim of her lime-colored beret over her eyes. "Then again, it's not like I'll ever be as good as you or Bree..."

"Bianca, don't say that! Just because you don't want to be the champion doesn't mean that you won't be a good trainer!"

"And look at it this way," Cheren added, "Your Tepig, Porkchop? When he evolves into Pignite, he'll also gain a fighting subtype, which means that he'll have an advantage over Lenora's normal-type pokemon that neither Bree nor I have."

"And don't you remember? You told me that River was gonna beat up everyone!"

"Yeah, I guess...Thanks, guys." Bianca embraced her two friends.

After the hug, Bree stepped back, pink pocketbook brushing against an information plaque, bright blue eyes twinkling with an idea. "Know what," she said to her two friends as they looked at her, "I'm going to go challenge Lenora myself! Kazumi already evolved! We can win!" And with that, Bree ran off before either of her friends could protest.

"Bree, wait! I didn't tell you about her W-" He lowered his hand.

"Tell her about what?"

Cheren sighed. "She's going to get absolutely thrashed," he muttered with two fingers pressed against the bridge of his nose.

* * *

The basement-turned-battle arena which Mr. Derry, Lenora's husband, led Bree to was cool, and a little bit musty. Dimly lit, the underground room was lined from wall to wall with shelves, upon which hundreds of carefully packaged and labeled items awaited presentation to the public eye.

"Lenora, honey!" Mr. Derry shouted into the gloom. "I have a challenger for you!"

After a few moments, Lenora appeared from the back room, a smock for cleaning fossils thrown over her clothing, with a brush in one hand and a small, dark stone in the other. "Well," she said, "Aren't you a cute one? I'm Lenora, the gym leader here in Nacrene."

"And I'm Bree," the brown-haired girl said, "And what's that black rock you're holding?" she asked as she pointed to the stone in question, which Lenora had just set on one of the shelves. Behind her, Mr. Derry smiled and left.

"Oh that?" Lenora motioned Bree over the the shelf. Bree ran her fingers over the grayish-black stone; it was smooth, with neat symmetrical carvings etched into it; the stone seemed to tingle slightly at her touch. "We found that near the Relic Castle during a dig a few months back. The stone itself may seem nondescript, but the carvings show that it's clearly not natural. Also, it's quite dense; we're not really sure what material it's made out of."

"...This may sound kind of strange, but does it, uh, tingle in your hand?"

The gym leader looked at the teenager, her fingers resting lightly on the dark stone. Now a Dewott had appeared seemingly from nowhere and inspected the stone curiously before returning to her pokeball. "Yes, actually. Not often though, and only for brief periods. We think that the stone may be fabricated from some sort of conductive metal."

"Oh, that is cool."

"Exactly. It's part of the reason that I became an archeologist and a curator of the museum. But," Lenora added as she pushed a lock of crinkly blue-black hair out of the way of her eyes, "I'm also a gym leader. Isn't that why you're down here in the first place?"

"Oh, right! Let's go!"

With a click of her fingers, the basement was fully illuminated, revealing a slightly dirty floor emblazoned with the official seal of the Unova League. Lenora tossed up a pokeball produced from a deep pocket in her smock; it opened midair, releasing a Herdier. The terrier deeply barked a challenge.

Bree looked at the dirty floor and came up with an idea. "Simon, go!" she shouted as the mole materialized onto the ground. "Sand-Attack to blind the dog, and then start scratching!"

However, before Simon could put his claws to work, the Herdier had shook off the dirt flung in her face and hurled herself into Simon at full force, sending the Drilbur flying into a shelf, where he slid to the ground senseless.

"Simon!" Bree shouted. Upon confirming that Simon was unable to battle, though not badly injured, she switched him out for Kaylee, with a shout of, "Kaylee, take her down!"

The Lillipup charged at her evolved brethren, but the Herdier easily withstood the hit and responded likewise with a take down of her own. The battle continued in the same way for a few more minutes, the two dogs wrestling with powerful attacks, until finally Kaylee was pinned helpless under the terrier's large paws, unable to battle further. Cursing under her breath, Bree withdrew Kaylee and sent out Kazumi, who flashed her shell blades in a show of bravado. Seemingly without any prompting at all, Kazumi ran towards the Herdier and slashed her two shells in tandem, followed up by a water gun. Bleeding from the scratches, the terrier whimpered and swayed on the spot until Lenora called her back.

"Even in this situation, I can still win," Lenora shouted. "Go, Aloe!"

Aloe was a rather large Watchog, who stared down Kazumi with bulbous red eyes. Unperturbed, Kazumi prepared another attack with her razored shells, ready to bring the Watchog down-

-And then the Dewott was, quite literally, chucked across the room by Aloe. Before Kazumi could launch more than two glancing blows, the samurai otter was thoroughly defeated by the Watchog.

Bree withdrew her pokemon, stunned. "I...I lost."

"That was a good effort," Lenora said with a smile. "Don't be too upset."

"But I beat Cilan, and I can beat my friend Cheren, and he just won against you!"

Lenora motioned Bree over to an old healing machine in a back room. As they walked, she said, "Well, Chili, Cilan, and Cress also work out of the pokemon school in Striaton. Most of the time, they battle to make sure that new trainers know how to handle their pokemon properly. My job as Nacrene gym leader is usually to show that good battling is difficult, and being a truly great trainer is not as easy as it may seem."

Bree nodded grimly. "I guess..." Of course, that didn't help soothe the sting of the loss any. She placed the pokeballs into the healing machine in an almost mechanical fashion. "I'm sorry, guys. I let you down," she whispered to her pokemon.

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I did!"

Lenora shook her head. "No, you didn't. Everyone loses sometimes. Believe me, do you think that I let my pokemon down every time we lose? No, everyone wins and loses at some point. That's just the way things are." She placed a hand on Bree's shoulder. "Look," she said, "I saw how you fight with your pokemon. They're very attached to you, as you are to them. I know that you'll be able to defeat me with just a bit of training, so cheer up!"

Bree nodded, eventually.

Lenora opened her mouth to say more, but then lights flashed and a shrill alarm sprang to life.

* * *

"Honey, this is bad! This is really, really bad!" Mr. Derry's voice, the first thing that wasn't an alarm that Lenora and Bree heard after racing out of the basement, was strained and frantic; his usually neat hair was askew.

"Hold on just a moment. What happened here?" Lenora's voice was steady and even, even as lights were flashing and alarms were blaring around her, even as staff members and visitors were running around in a panic. Bree was impressed by the leader's calm visage.

"It's the dragon fossil! The one that was just put on display a few weeks ago, a NINETY-FIVE PERCENT COMPLETE SKELETON; the one that's almost certainly a transition fossil between Aerodactyl's descendants and Dragonite?" Mr. Derry's voice became shrill; his hands waved frantically in the air as he became more panicked.

"Calm down, sweetie! What happened?"

"It's those Plasma guys who've been skulking around lately! They stole its skull!"

Everyone within earshot either gasped or shouted in shock.

"Those...Those...Thieves!" Lenora shouted. "We've got to get that skull back and place them under arrest."

"How did they get the skull out of there anyway? It's fossilized! It weighs nearly four hundred pounds!"

"Pokemon, probably."

"Huh? But I thought that Plasma said that they're against using pokemon."

"Yeah, well," Bree chimed in, "They're a bunch of low-life hypocrites. Trust me."

"Plasma? Alarms? What's going on?"

That question was asked by Bianca, who dragged Cheren up the stairs towards the quickly-growing crowd that bunched around Lenora, her husband, and Bree. Following the two teenagers was an older man with curly brown hair, a bright green shirt, a magenta scarf, and tight striped pants. The man waved.

"Lenora, long time, no see," he called. "What's all the ruckus about? I come here to find some inspiration and instead I uncover chaos!"

"Oh, Arty, this really isn't a good time," Lenora sighed. Behind her, Mr. Derry dashed into a back room and called for all visitors to please leave the Unova Museum of Natural History, we are closed, we are sorry for the inconvenience, over the intercom. "You've heard about Team Plasma, right? Borderline fanatics about pokemon "liberation"-"

"-With absolutely no fashion sense whatsoever," Bianca interrupted as Cheren rolled his eyes.

Arty nodded. "Yeah, I've heard of them. They've had some rallies in Castelia, but nothing too major."

"Well, they did something major here," Lenora shot back to Arty, who Bree and her friends suddenly realized was the Castelia gym leader, Arthur Burgh, "They stole the skull off of one of my newest exhibits! And it was a real skeleton, not a cast!"

"Wait," Cheren said. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Burgh, how did you get to here from Castelia? Did you walk through Pinwheel Forest, or did you take the subway in?"

Arty scoffed. "Of course I walked through the forest; my bug pokemon can't breathe pressed up against the walls of a subway car. Besides, you see the most interesting things when..." Arty's face cycled through a roulette of expressions, finally setting on a dawning, horrified realization. "Oh, fuck me sideways with a rake!" he shouted with an open-palmed slap to the forehead. "I am such an idiot! They're in Pinwheel Forest! I walked right past those Plasma guys and didn't even notice!

"That's it!" Lenora shouted. "I'm going there and getting that fossil back!"

"No, honey, you can't," her husband said as he tugged on the back of his wife's shirt. "We've got to stay here and tell the police what happened . And guard the museum in case they come back."

With a sigh, Lenora nodded and turned back to her husband, Arty, and the three teenagers. "Okay," she said, "I'm going to go talk to the police with my husband."

"I'll go track down those thieves in Pinwheel Forest; nobody knows that place better than I do," Arty said. He turned to leave when Bree stopped him.

"Wait, I'll go with you!"

"What?"

"Bree, what did I tell you about not doing anything rash?"

"Listen," she said, "It'll be okay. I know how these Plasma guys act. And Pinwheel Forest is a big place; you can't cover it with just one person and his pokemon. Besides, Mr. Burgh is a gym leader. It'll be okay."

"...Fine."

Arty smiled as he shook the girl's hand. "Pleased to meet you. Bree, right? Name's Arty. Not Arthur, not Mr. Burgh, not Leader Burgh. Just Arty."

"...Oh. Sorry about that."

Arty smiled. "It's okay," he said, "Plenty of people do that. Now, let's go!" With that, he grabbed Bree by the wrist, fingers closing around the wristbands that she always wore. The two of them raced downstairs and left the museum.

That left Cheren and Bianca. "So...What about us?" she asked.

"You're going to help the two of us guard the museum. So get your pokemon out and get to work!"

Lenora ran off, leaving Cheren and Bianca alone in the eerily deserted hallway. Finally, the alarms calmed down.

"...So." Bianca took off her lime green beret and twisted it in her hands. "We're...helping guard the museum against pokemon and fossil stealing thieves?"

"Apparently so." The young man sighed as he pushed up his glasses and smoothed back his black hair in one motion. "Why she thinks it's a good idea to have the two of us help guard the museum, even if I did prove to be her superior in an evenly matched pokemon battle, I'll never know."

"But...What if they come back and steal our pokemon?" Bianca's green eyes began to quiver. "I...I don't want them to steal my pokemon..."

"Shh." Cheren laid his hands on her shoulders. "You'll be fine. I know it. You're a competent battler, even if you don't realize it. And, besides..." He trailed off, looking around at the myriad themed rooms around them, "I think I have an idea." He walked into the room that showed a model of the rainforests around Fortree, motioning for Bianca to follow. "Stay close to me. There's safety in numbers."

* * *

A/N: Well, they'll never see that dark stone again! :P And for those of you who complained about the characters winning too much, I present to you Bree White getting curbstomped by Lenora, and Cheren losing twice and barely winning the third time. And yes, I had these losses planned.

I'm pretty sure that Pinwheel Forest is based off of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, so I'm going to write it as such. Also, the stuff about fossils is real. 95% (Heck, more than 80%) complete skeletons are EXTRAORDINARILY rare, especially when they're that size. Also also, fossils are HEAVY. One fossilized Apatosaurus vertebra can weigh over 200 pounds! That's part of the reason that casts of fossils are usually used; they're lighter and so the wires that hold up the fossils are more able to withstand their weight. About Aerodactyl, I feel that it was one of the first dragon-types, but that dragon typing was overwritten by the rock-type that was created when Aerodactyl was revived.

I'd appreciate it if you left reviews and stuff. I rather like them, you know. But even if you don't, thanks for reading.

POKEMON BLACK AND WHITE COME OUT NEXT SUNDAY OH MY GOD I AM SO EXCITED!


	9. Be Trusted By The People You Lie To

Well! This update happened relatively quickly! As you can see, a lot happens with it, and I really hope I did well. And remember how I said that there would be some changes to the game canon? And how we've already seen a couple here and there? Well...

I've said too much. You'll see for yourself. Be warned, it might get a leetle bit graphic, but that's part of the reason the T rating is here. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"Right," Arty said as they stopped by a large mossy rock deep within Pinwheel Forest, where the plant life grew thick and the grassy, mossy ground was dappled with different shades of light filtered through by so many species of trees. "Pinwheel Forest is a very large place, but considering the weight of the skull, the need for relatively solid terrain so they wouldn't fall, and the fact that they'd need to stay out of sight, there are basically two paths they could have taken." He pointed in two different directions. "I'll go up north and alert the rangers, you take the western path." Arty tossed a walkie-talking in Bree's direction with one hand and released two of his pokemon, a wheel-like spiny violet bug called a Whirlipede and a leaf-swathed mantis called a Leavanny, with the other. "Call me if you find anything, Bree. Good luck. Thorn! Alex! Let's get that skull back!" Arty and his two pokemon ran off, soon blending with the undergrowth.

That left Bree by herself in the vast Pinwheel forest. Walking along a path adjacent to a creek, she released Kazumi, who happily jumped into the water and paddled alongside her watchful trainer.

Who, thankfully, was actually watchful enough this time, as she noticed the Plasma grunt sneaking up behind her. Looking at his bright orange hair and the bandage on his chin, Bree suddenly realized that-

"Hey! You're that jackass who beat up that Munna and tried to steal my pokemon!"

The grunt started, yelping, "Aah! You're the trainer with the crazy Oshawott!"

Bree smiled, a smile that at first glance appeared to be her characteristic open-mouthed grin, but upon closer inspection was strained, and didn't quite reach her eyes. She really had no patience whatsoever for this kind of crap, especially not today. "Not anymore!" With a click of her fingers, the Dewott lept out of the stream, slowly approaching the quickly-paling grunt with drawn shell blades and an angry growl rumbling from her throat. Even though everyone in the vicinity knew that it was against The Rules for Kazumi to attack the grunt without immediate cause, he instinctively backed away until his shoulders hit a rock face.

"So," a patience-drained Bree said with fake cheeriness, "I think we're on the same page here! I don't want to hurt you, and you don't want to get hurt. Now, where's that skull?"

* * *

"It's so...Empty." Bianca stepped closer, all but clinging to the blue jacket her friend wore. "I don't like it."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Cheren simply replied, "We're the only ones in the museum right now. Of course it's going to be desolate."

Still, he understood what his friend meant. A museum this size and this famous was supposed to be bustling with people, especially during the early afternoon. To have it so completely empty and desolate was unnerving. It felt like something straight out of a generic horror film, catered to stimulate the instinctual fears present in every person.

Which was why both Julian and Porkchop were patrolling beside them, and why Cheren didn't complain when Bianca clung to the cuff of his jacket when she was startled by an echoing noise. Truth be told, Cheren was a bit jumpy too; he just didn't want to show it. In times like this, it didn't pay to be edgy.

"Cheren," Bianca said after several minutes of silence, the two-syllable name echoing through the abandoned corridors, "What was your plan again?" _Nice acoustics, _she thought.

"Oh! Right!" Polishing his glasses on the sleeve of his coat as he spoke, a sign of a strategy being formed, Cheren continued, "Well, my thought was that we create a trap of some kind. Perhaps one of us pretends to be kicking our pokemon. That way, any Plasma members who are here will give chase. Of course, they end up running into a room where the other one of us is standing guard with our pokemon. Therefore, we will be able to subdue and neutralize any Plasma members remaining in the museum, hopefully before they're able to call out their pokemon."

"Cheren, that's brilliant!" By this time they had walked back to the Hall of Climates and Biomes, which had scale models and full-sized dioramas of habitats all over the world. "Hm," Bianca said to Cheren and herself as she looked at the artificial rainforests constructed in the middle of the gigantic room, green leaves and vines covering everything, "I think I know how to make this convincing. But you and your pokemon are going to have to listen to me and do everything I tell you to."

* * *

Twigs snapping under her thick-soled boots, Bree ran through the forest, Kaylee beside her as the Lillipup sniffed down hiding Plasma grunts. The guy Kazumi intimidated said that the skull was deeper in, information that she had relayed to Arty the moment she was alone. Apparently several park rangers were patrolling the forest now, and they had closed down all the exits. Bree just hoped they could find the skull, and hopefully arrest the thieves.

Kaylee stopped short underneath a large tree with thick, low-hanging branches. Looking up, she barked loudly until her trainer came over with a, "What is it? Who's up there?" and looked up.

White shirt. Brown jeans. Cube thingy. Long messy light green hair. Of course.

Looking closer, Bree noticed that N, who was perched on a branch, held an oddly colored Pidove in his hands, its wings a navy blue instead of a slate gray. Letting the bird hop from one outstretched finger to its nearby nest, he murmured to it, so low that Bree had to strain to hear him, "The rangers leave out food for you and your friends during the winter? And they don't use it to trap you? Just...Food? So you don't get hungry when it's cold?"

"Hey, N! Whatcha doing in that tree?"

Startled, the Pidove flew to a higher branch, looking down on the humans with a wary curiosity. N peered over the branch and waved down at the girl who was looking up at him with bright blue eyes. "Bree!" he cheerfully shouted. "It's beautiful here, isn't it? With all the pokemon living happily in the forest? Are you here to let your pokemon free too, so they can be happy?"

Oh great. This again. "N, I told you. We're friends, and I'm not abusive towards them! Besides, this isn't really the time. Haven't you heard the commotion?"

"What's going on?"

"What's going on is that your beloved Team Plasma went and robbed the museum! And do you know what they stole?"

"...Something to help free pokemon from abusive trainers?"

Bree buried her head in an open palm. "No, N, they stole a dinosaur fossil!"

N blinked. "They stole what?"

"You heard me," she said while scrambling up the tree, "They stole a fossilized skull off of an ancient pokemon! They're just a bunch of thieves!"

"But...Why a skull? That wouldn't help with..." The young man behind her trailed off in apparent confusion.

Sitting in the tree, looking out over the rest of Pinwheel Forest and the people running around in a frantic chase, Bree realized that she could feel N's presence behind her shoulder. She turned around, curly brown ponytail following her, to see the young man looking beyond her, his pale green eyes distant, lost in thought. Shaking her head, the girl turned back to scanning the area for any sign of Plasma or the fossil, somehow calmed by N's presence, when she heard his voice again, soft behind her.

"...I forgive you," he said.

Forgive? Where did that come from? Bree hadn't done anything to wrong him.

"I forgive you for enslaving the Drilbur."

Bree rolled her eyes, groaned through clenched teeth. Oh, of course. Why did he have to do this, ruin the quiet connection that had just started to form between the two with an over-simplistic view?

"Because," he continued, hesitantly, yet unaware of her exasperation, "He told me that he was taken from his friends by some mean trainers, and dropped in Wellspring Cave. And he said that he had trouble finding food and that when you found him...He said that your Lillipup told...Asked him to help you, and that you fed him on your own, and that you...You asked him to join you?"

Was that uncertainty in his voice? "Yes, N. I asked if he wanted to join me, and he agreed."

N didn't say anything for a while. Instead he lowered his head, wide brim of his cap obscuring his eyes, and reached into his bag, pulling out something and holding it tightly to his chest.

"A Cubchoo doll?"

N nodded as he hugged the plush pokemon, threadbare in places and worn with love. "Mm-hmm, I've had him my whole life." After a few moments, he put the stuffed polar bear cub back in his bag; Bree saw a glimpse of something brightly-colored and plastic before it was zipped away out of sight. "I'm sorry," he said, "I...My dad, he said that..."

"No, no. I understand. It's okay." Bree was a bit embarrassed to admit it herself, but she also had a Teddiursa doll lying in the bottom of her bag, a little plush brown bear which she had had since before she could remember, its fur worn thin, stained in places with old soup spills. She loved that bear. But now wasn't the time. More important was-

"Look, N, it's nice talking to you, even if you ramble about stuff I don't agree with and get angry because I have different opinions, but I really need to get that skull back!"

Quiet for a while, as the Pidove flitted back down to N and Bree. He stroked its navy wings before he finally replied, "I can't help you. But," he added with a hand held up to stop Bree's beginning protest, "I'll...I'll talk to my friends. The Timburr, Throh, and Sawk who live here. Fossils are heavy, right? Maybe they'll help you bring it back."

"Thank you, N," she said with a smile.

"One condition," he added. "You've got to promise me that you won't capture them. Let them go home to their families. If you don't...I won't forgive you." The last words, though meant to sound like a threat, came out more pained than anything else.

"N, don't worry," Bree said as she moved to climb down the tree. As she climbed, her feet slipped on a portion of bark covered with moss; N grabbed her hand to steady her for the moment it took for the girl to regain her balance. For a moment, their fingers interlocked.

Bree glanced at their hands, heat briefly flaring in her face before subsiding. "Thank you," she said before hopping down the rest of the way and running off in search of the thieves, pink pocketbook and brown hair streaming behind her.

In silence, N watched her go. The blue Pidove perched on his shoulder, cooing softly. For once, N didn't respond. His fingers and palm still tingled slightly from the warm, smooth touch of her hand.

* * *

Bianca tore down the halls of the nearly empty museum, screaming her head off. Behind her, two Plasma grunts were in hot pursuit.

"Get back here! Ian and I saw what you were doing to that helpless Tepig!"

"Your pokemon-abusing days are over, bitch!"

She didn't say anything, just sprinted as quickly as her shoes and skirt would allow her to, short blonde hair flying in front of her vision, one hand firmly holding her beret in place. She ducked under the Wailord suspended in the air, dashed past the model of a Luxray pride, and finally skidded through a representation of a Unova forest, complete with models of newly-hatched Tympoles, a Liepard on the prowl, a inanimate Pidove attempting to escape the grasping vines of a Servine, and many other sculptures.

The room was dark; everything was shaded in deep blues and blacks. Bianca soon found herself cornered by the two Plasma members. She shrank back into the corner further, tears welling up at the corners of her usually lively green eyes as she attempted to make herself meld with the walls and vanish.

"Alright, hand over the pokemon and maybe we'll let you go easy!"

"Yeah, as if you deserve as much after kicking the pokemon just because he lost a battle," the other grunt-Ian-scoffed.

Bianca whimpered as she tore the beret off her head, pressing and pinching the fabric between her fingers where it bunched up into large, solid lumps. The Plasma grunts grinned and moved to release their pokemon, intent on stealing Bianca's from her.

Seemingly out of nowhere, vines shot out from behind the grunts, snaring their wrists and snapping the pokeballs out of their gloved hands, where they bounced and rolled on the floor before settling to a stop across the room. The grunts turned around in shock.

"What the-?"

"Who's doing that?"

The Servine model slithered out of the plastic tree and onto the floor in a very un-modellike fashion, followed by a now very animate Pidove. A young man with jet-black hair and a blue jacket stepped out of the shadows, a violet Purrloin walking beside him, a smug smirk plastered on his face at the sight of the successfully sprung trap. Three flashes of light later, and they were joined by a clearly unhurt Tepig, a Lillipup, and a Munna.

"Alright!" shouted Bianca, who had abruptly stopped crying and started sounding a lot more confident as she placed the now suspiciously lump-less beret back on her head. "That couldn't have worked any better if we had planned it out for weeks!"

With an unspoken command Julian forced the still-entangled arms of the Plasma grunts to their sides; the two grunts looked at each other and gulped.

"You know," Cheren said with a bit of a smirk, tilting his head so the small amount of light that filtered in reflected off the polycarbonate lenses of his glasses, "I think you're in a bit of a bind, don't you agree?"

* * *

"Alright, Plasma! Jig's up, now give it back!"

Bree and eight or so Plasma grunts stood on opposite sides of the clearing, fenced in by low-hanging trees, Kaylee snarling at the grunts standing guard around the large fossil skull. Nothing happened. A few grunts laughed, but that was it. Other than the sounds of the forest, animal shouts, thumps, and sharp twig-cracking noises, the clearing was oddly quiet.

"Give it back or I'll fight you for it!"

A chorus of snickers. "Hey, Mila, listen to this little brat," one of them said.

"Such a shame that she's going to force her pokemon so," another said, shaking her head.

"Screw you!" At the same time, Bree released Simon and Kazumi, who joined the Lillipup in a battle stance. The Plasma members released their pokemon as well; they charged at the same time. Kazumi's shell blades sliced into Sandiles, Kaylee tackled Patrats at full force, and Simon dragged Purrloins into the dirt. Snarls filled the air, and wild pokemon fled the area; the thumping and crashing sounds got louder.

Finally, a large Whirlipede burst through the undergrowth, tearing up the moist ground with its long poisonous spines. Arty, uncaring that his striped neon pants were now smeared with dirt from his stunt, slid into the clearing on his knees, hands raised and palms outstretched in a clearly theatrical, dramatic pose.

"Ta-daaaah!"

Bree was actually somewhat disappointed when Alex, his Leavanny, didn't hold up a card with a number scrawled onto it. The Plasma thieves were somewhat less impressed.

"What."

And then, to add to the mayhem, Lenora and her Herdier also joined the scene, accompanied by three park rangers.

"Oh-ho! Nice work, guys!"

Several plasma grunts broke out into a sweat; Bree just grinned; Kazumi folded her arms and almost certainly smirked.

"What is going on over here?"

Yet another person joined the group. But this man was different. Clad in overly-opulent, ridiculous-looking mahogany robes that he was probably dehydrating himself in from sweating, he walked over to the members of Team Plasma with a curiously placid expression.

"You failed," he said.

The grunt he was addressing, Mila, audibly gulped. "We...it's not our fault!" she stammered. "It's that meddling brat and the gym leaders!" She fell to her knees. "Sage Gorm! Please forgive me!"

Bree blinked. Sage? What the heck was going on here? Was this some kind of elaborate prank? Looking over her shoulder, she could see that the two leaders were apparently as confused as she was.

Gorm-she refused to call him a sage-looked over the three of them. "The gym leaders Lenora Derry of Nacrene and Arthur Burgh of Castelia. And some nosy little girl who refuses to mind her own business and prefers tormenting innocent pokemon for her own amusement. Little girl, you would do well to stay out of our plans." He stepped back, ignoring the glares coming from the three trainers. "The skull was unimportant anyway. It has no use for our plans. We will step back for now."

"Like hell you will! You're under arrest!"

A faint smile appeared under his beard. "I don't think so." A click of a pokeball, and a Beheeyem floated to the middle of the group. In the space of half a second, all of the plasma grunts, along with the psychic pokemon, vanished by a powerful teleport, leaving the skull lying in the grass. The rangers ran past Lenora, Arty, and Bree, hoping to find some sign of them in the forest.

"Dammit!"

"Lenora, it's...Not the best, but look at the bright side! At least we got the skull back!"

"I suppose." They looked at the fossil. "But," Lenora added, "It weighs nearly three hundred pounds. How are we supposed to get it back to the museum? Our pokemon aren't strong enough to do it by themselves..."

Bree looked back at the two gym leaders. "Actually," she said, "I think I might have an idea."

_N, please keep your promise._

A few minutes later, a tan head popped into view, followed by several others. Soon, several Timburr had approached the three humans, albeit somewhat hesitantly.

"Bree," Lenora asked cautiously, "What's going on?"

Bree got down on one knee and greeted the young fighting-type pokemon. "Hello. Were you sent by N to help us? Long green hair, tends to ramble, kinda childlike in a cute way?"

The lead Timburr nodded.

Arty leaned over to Lenora. "N?"

"Guy who beat me in a gym battle almost a month back. Really, really close with pokemon, but I get the feeling that he needs a few more hugs and human friends in his life, if you know what I'm saying," she muttered back.

Bree stood up, a wide smile on her face. Kazumi cheered. "Right!" she exclaimed. "This Timburr and his friends and family are going to help us carry the fossil back to Nacrene!"

"Oh, thank you!"

"This is amazing!"

* * *

Lenora watched with pride as her prized skeleton was made complete once more. Bree waved good-bye to the Timburr, who returned to the forest. N kept his promise; she would keep hers.

Arty smiled. "Well, all's well that ends well."

"Yeah." Something was nagging at the back of her mind though; when she realized what she was, the good feeling popped like an over-inflated balloon. "Bianca and Cheren! Where are they?"

Right on cue, the door leading to the Hall of Biodiversity slammed open. Two Plasma grunts, bound and gagged, fell to the floor. Behind them stood a triumphant Cheren and Bianca.

"Guys!" Bree ran over and threw her arms around her two best friends. And then she noticed the neutralized grunts. "...Woah. What happened?"

Arty voiced it best. "Holy shit on a stick, what did you guys do?"

"You'd never believe it unless you saw it for yourself!" Then Cheren and Bianca looked at each other; they had said it at the same time.

"He was amazing!"

"She was amazing!"

"He thought up this utterly freaking brilliant plan! Just like that!"

"And it wouldn't have worked without her acting skills! Seriously, it was the best performance I have ever seen. And it was entirely improvised as well!"

"Well," Bree eventually said. "I guess you'll have to tell me about it."

"Of course we will!"

"Though somehow I feel that the adrenaline rush of the moment will be lost in the retelling."

"Well, what matters," Lenora grunted as she lifted up the two grunts and tossed them to a waiting police officer, who threw them into the back of a paddy wagon and drove off, "Is that the skull is back, at least we got a couple criminals off the streets, and nobody's pokemon got stolen!" She smiled at the three young trainers. "I can tell that the three of you will be fantastic trainers some day. In fact..."

Lenora left to her personal study, and returned a few minutes later with a small shiny strip of metal, which she carefully placed in Bree's hand.

"The...The Basic Badge?" Bree looked at the badge in her hand, then back to Lenora. "But...But I lost. I don't deserve this."

Lenora smiled warmly. "Yes you do. There's a rule in the Gym Leader rulebook that says that we can give out badges to trainers who have done a "sufficiently meritorious deed," regardless of the outcome of a battle. Bree, you risked your safety and your pokemon to help retrieve my stolen fossil, and you did so marvelously. I think that merits you the Basic Badge."

"I...Thank you," she breathed. One by one, Bree sent out her pokemon and let them inspect the badge before she placed it in the case. Her friends broke the silence first.

"Congratulations, Bree."

"Yay, Bree! I told ya you could do it!"

Lenora then turned to Bianca. "You haven't battled me yet," she said, "But you definitely proved yourself worthy. Technically, I can't give you the badge yet because you haven't battled me, but if you'd like..."

Bianca nodded, so vigorously that her beret slipped over her eyes. "Thanks, Mrs. Lenora! I promise to come back and battle you as soon as Porkchop gets a bit stronger!"

"I'll be waiting for that."

At this point Arty made his presence known again. "It was nice catching up with you and getting involved in this...Ruckus, but I've got to get back to Castelia and make sure that everything's alright. And I'll be waiting to see you three take me on. That'll be a battle or three to remember! But take your time, seriously. Castelia's a great place, and you've got to experience everything for yourself."

"I promise, Arty."

"Thank you, sir."

Arty waved his farewells, then left back to his home city. Shortly after, the trio from Nuvema followed.

* * *

Hiking through the edge of Pinwheel Forest, nearing Skyarrow Bridge, they could see the city lights.

They didn't notice the three people, silently observing them up in the canopy.

Nearly identical, the three of them had limp white hair cut smoothly at the shoulders. Almost frighteningly thin, their too-sharp ribs were clearly defined through tight black clothes. Hollow sunken eyes darted here and there, and sharp, stiff, jerky movements belied their agility.

"She is a problem," one of them said, in a voice of shadow and steel. "They are all potential problems, but especially her." His yellow eyes briefly flicked towards the movement of a Pidove with blue wings instead of gray ones, then returned to the three teenagers.

"Because she is influencing him, clouding him," another said, in a voice reminiscent of a silken noose, or a garrote, invisible until it was far too late. The slightest hint of curves indicated that this one was probably female.

"So why do we not cut her throat and be done with it? Better yet, take care of the others at the same time. There are three of us and three of them." The voice of the third echoed like a drawn blade.

The first one sighed. "And that, Epsilon, is why I am the leader when Leader is not around. Theta," he said to the female, "I grow tired of explaining the reasons again and again."

"Of course," Theta said. "Leader told us not to kill anybody. Something about not calling attention to ourselves."

"Oh."

"Epsilon, you are far too hasty."

"Yes. You are right, Zero," he said. Epsilon's sharp bony fingers twitched on the branch. The shiny Pidove wisely flew away from him, landing on a branch above Zero's head.

"Besides," Zero added, "We must remember what else Leader said. He told us to always remember whom we aid and whom we seem to aid."

"Oh," Theta said with understanding, "So we let him have his fun, and after..."

"Exactly. Like Epsilon said, one for each of us."

"And...?"

"You know how it is. Leader always strikes the final blow. That is the way it works. And now, I hunger." With that, his hand shot up and snatched the cobalt-winged Pidove off of his perch before he could protest. Zero placed his palm on the Pidove's throat; the bird spasmed and his fingers turned red. Moving his hand away, sheathing the crimson-stained hidden blade that slid out from under his wrist, Zero bent over and with a dry tongue lapped up some of the hot blood that bubbled from the gaping slash in the neck of the still-twitching Pidove. Deftly, with a second hidden blade, he separated the bloody meat from tiny bird bones and distributed it to his two comrades, who ate it all, then licked their fingers clean.

Theta picked up a few bloodied feathers; brilliant shades of navy, cobalt, and indigo still shone through the ichor. Faintly smiling, as near as she ever did, she threaded the feathers through her hair, staining the snow white a dark red.

* * *

A/N: Bet I threw you for a curveball for that last bit, right? Three guesses who **they** are, and I don't think I should count the first two. :P Remember I said I'd be changing some stuff. These guys just screamed, "REALLY, REALLY CREEPY!" to me, so I sorta ran with it, you know? See you next week with the next update, which takes place in CASTELIA CITY AKA MANHATTAN THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST THING EVER!

AND POKEMON BLACK AND WHITE COME OUT IN FOUR DAYS AS OF THIS POSTING! *Runs around in a circle screaming from excitement*


	10. City Of Blinding Lights

Hey guys! POKEMON WHITE IS OUT OH MY GOD YAAAAAYYYYY! I'm actually playing through the game with this team, with one exception (Later on, you'll know it when you see it). And Lenora...Kazumi was left with **one hit point.** If that's not an awesome battle, I don't know what is.

And sorry, but this is a bit of a short chapter. Plot happens though! And thank you so much for all the reviews! And yep, that was the Dark Trinity/Shadow Trio (Haven't gotten to them yet in White). Yep, they're creepy. I meant them to be that way. I know **exactly** what they are though, so don't worry! I want to hear your guesses though.

In any case! Update! THEY'RE IN CASTELIA WHICH IS DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN YAAAAYYY!

* * *

"Wow," they said.

Wow indeed. Bree, Bianca, and Cheren stood at the edge of the Skyarrow bridge, the cars racing beneath them, the world-famous skyline and city lights of Castelia off in the distance. The wind whipped at their backs, sending Bree's dark chocolate hair streaming out beside her, and nearly knocking Bianca's beloved beret into the river below before Corn, her newly-caught Pansage that was perched on her shoulder caught it with a tan hand and returned the hat to his new trainer. Bianca thanked her new pokemon, who nodded happily then chatted to the Panpour, now named Marina, hanging off of Cheren's jacket. They had found the Pansage and Panpour near the exit of Pinwheel Forest; Cheren had surmised from their behavior that the two pokemon were mates. Remembering that the Pan pokemon mated for life, they decided that even though Cheren and Bianca would only take one each, they would let the two monkeys spend all their spare time together, outside their pokeballs. This wasn't an issue at all, as any trainer worth the name would allow their pokemon some free time.

There they were, on the famous Skyarrow Bridge, a half-hour's walk from the towering metropolis of Castelia.

"We've come a long way," Cheren said.

"Yeah," Bianca replied, "I can't believe it's been...Ten years since I last walked this bridge, and it was with my parents."

"Ten years." Cheren stretched his arms. "Only ten years, but it seems like we've known each other forever."

"Hey, you've got me to thank for that," Bree said, her tongue sticking out in a playful manner.

"Of course. I'll don't think I'll ever forget the way you introduced yourself to me. After all, it's not every day that a six-year-old girl with more energy than an overcharged Emolga runs up to me, completely disregarding the fact that I am reading, and greets me by telling me that I have 'funny eyes,' then ask me why I wear such 'grown-up' clothing, ask me if I have any pokemon friends, ask me what I am reading, and only then properly introduce herself and inquire my name."

Bianca chuckled, "Or what about asking me if my name was Jay like one of your old friends-yes, I still remember that- and after I told you my name was Bianca, grabbed my wrist and dragged me over to Cheren."

"Despite the fact that you hated having your wrists touched for nearly a year," Cheren pointed out.

Bree folded her arms self-consciously. "Hey, that doesn't make me sound nice at all." One hand unconsciously circled the well-worn black wristbands that she always had.

"Aww, we're just playing around, Bree! Like when we tease Cheren about the two-plus gigs of-"

"**Okay I get it**." Cheren moved to cover his friends' mouths, in what would almost certainly be a vain attempt to shut them up.

"Heheh. You guys are the best."

"Aww, thanks, Bree!"

"I know I am."

"Hey, race you to the gate!"

* * *

Castelia was **huge**. There was no other word for it. The three from Nuvema had barely stepped off the bridge before they were dwarfed by towering pillars of concrete and steel. They walked along the curved southern seaport, where ships of all kinds were docked. They oohed and aahed along with thousands of other tourists who pointed at famous landmarks such as the Castelia Stock Exchange with the Bouffalant sculpture in front and the gigantic electronics store while Castelia natives walked past without looking up. After hours of wandering around, lost yet not lost because they didn't have a destination in mind, Bianca eventually asked for and received directions to one of the many pokemon centers from a young man with glasses and neat blond hair, a Duosion by his side.

Once they checked in to the Pokemon Center, Cheren devoted his time to memorizing the map of Castelia that was posted on the wall; not only the streets, but also the bus and subway routes. Nearly an hour later, his head spinning, Cheren asked someone who just came in if there was a timetable for the subways. When the girl responded by doubling over in laughter, leaning on the countertop for support, Cheren merely introduced his forehead to the table.

At this point, Bianca walked over with a cheery shout of, "Get moving, Scowlyspecs; Bree's about to take off without us!"

"Oh great, I guess that's my new name," he muttered, but got up anyway. Bree was waiting at the front door, Kaylee bouncing up and down happily with her.

"So," Cheren asked, "Where are we headed?"

"Cheren!" Bianca playfully slapped him upside the head. "What's wrong with just wandering around for a change?"

Which is exactly what they did. Several times, Bree excitedly dashed to the end of the block, then doubled back so her two friends could catch up. Wandering through the maze of side streets, enclosed by skyscrapers, she eventually found the border, where the skyscrapers thinned out in number and the buildings, though still tall, were more varied and lower to the ground. They walked down River Street, crammed shoulder-to shoulder with people, tourists and natives alike, as street vendors tried to sell them pokemon collars and little figurines and "Rolex" watches that didn't even have a proper face. Several times, Bree nearly purchased an overpriced plastic sculpture that would probably break the moment she put it in her back before Cheren led her away from the pushy salesman. The street, and the whole area, was noisy and crowded and oh-so-colorful.

Bree would have loved it, except for the press of bodies that pinned her hands to her sides and constricted her movements. Somewhat claustrophobic, especially when it involved being crammed in with people, Bree asked her friends if they could move to a side street. They agreed, and soon walked down a narrow, twisting road, where the colorful merchandise spilled out onto the streets from tiny stores named in a language none of them could read, and the smell of open-air fish markets filled the air. Cheren purchased an inexpensive scarf checkered in all shades of blue, Bianca bought a box of "Pop rocks" that crackled and sparked when they hit the ground, while Bree just barely managed to withdraw Kazumi before the Dewott decided to snack on the freshly-caught merchandise.

That's when they decided that finding someplace to eat would be a good idea.

They eventually found a restaurant in the form of a little hole-in-the-wall place, down in a basement with a ceiling so low that N would probably whack his head on it and send his hat flying into the street.

When Cheren asked what she found to be so funny, Bree just shook her head and said, "Nothing."

The room was small and the floor was dirty, but the walls were covered with reviews and police badges from every precinct in the city, and the food was dirt-cheap, greasy, and delicious. A huge dish of fried rice was shared by trainer and pokemon alike; Bianca complained loudly as the rice repeatedly slipped off her chopsticks and back onto the plate-or worse, her lap.

"Cheren," she grumbled, "How are you able to eat that without a problem?"

Cheren looked at his friend over the rim of his glasses; his jacket was pristine. "Because I've been using them my whole life? Not to mention I'm rather dexterous to start with."

"Here, Bianca." Bree handed over a spoon to her friend, who nodded in thanks.

After dinner they walked around Castelia, as night fell and yellow rectangular lights winked on in every building, in place of stars.

* * *

The next two weeks was what Bree had dreamed of when becoming a trainer. Battling was important, but far from the be-all end-all that Cheren claimed it to be. Other than a couple small rallies, she hadn't seen any trace of Plasma. Instead, Bree and her friends and their pokemon explored Castelia at their own pace, walking around the East and West Village, rubbing shoulders with college students, finding good cheap food in little hole-in-the-wall places (As well as bad cheap food, but thankfully much less frequently).

And sure, Bree and Cheren and Bianca battled each other and other people in the city, mostly in Unity Square Park against college students from nearby Castelia University, winning many but losing some. Nekoya had evolved, the little Purloin changing into a large, lithe Liepard who stalked Pidove who roosted in the trees. Nekoya was soon followed by Kaylee, then River, the Herdiers racing each other across the grass. Simon wasn't too happy that Kaylee was now bigger than him, but she didn't seem to notice at all. Kazumi had grown even more attached to Bree; she was able to understand her much better in the past few weeks than she had before. Bianca's confidence was growing, and Munny was slowly starting to come out of his shell too.

So really, when Cheren finally declared himself prepared to challenge Arty for the Beetle Badge and Bree decided to walk the South Street docks by herself, historic buildings and the Skyarrow Bridge in the distance, the odd yet not unpleasant smell of salt mixed with gasoline in the air, with everything going so well the past few weeks, she should have expected the proverbial shit to hit the fan.

Bree sat by the edge of the docks with Kazumi, neatly shaping an ice cream cone with her tongue so it wouldn't drip all over her hands in the early autumn warmth before scarfing it down while Kazumi finished the remnants of a ginormous burger that her trainer had gotten just before. She leaned back, using her bag as a pillow, crossed her hands behind her head, and watched the clouds go by. Bree White was completely at ease.

The sharp piercing ringtone of Bree's XTranceiver startled out of her calm. Not even bothering to sit up, Bree just raised her wrist over her head and spoke into the receiver. "Yes?"

Bright, iridescent green as Cheren shoved his newly-earned Beetle Badge into the lens of the camera. "Arty really gave me a good fight," he said with pride.

"Yeah, but he earned it," said a voice off-screen.

Before Bree could congratulate her friend, Bianca joined in, accompanied by another, younger girl with long, flowing violet hair and coffee-colored skin. The girl looked panicked, and Bianca was openly wailing.

"Bianca! What's wrong?"

Bianca was crying too much to speak coherently, so the girl said, "The guys in the gray hoods and funky clothes! ...Plasma!"-Terror and a weary _fuck, not AGAIN,_ filled Bree-"They stole this girl's pokemon!"

"Munny!" Bianca sobbed.

"Those no-good bastards!"

"What kind of bug do they have up their ass?"

"Bianca! Where are you?"

"I-I'm by the R-Royal Unova..."

Bree slammed the XTranceiver shut with one hand and withdrew Kazumi, furious at what had apparently happened, with the other. She sprinted all the way to the other side of the docks in less than ten minutes, completely winded but unconcerned. Cheren and Arty were just arriving. Bianca was collapsed in a heap on the ground, sobbing incoherently as her remaining pokemon and the girl tried to comfort her.

"I tried to stop them," she explained to Arty, "But this city's so big! I lost them..."

"It's okay, Iris. You did your best."

"But...Munny..." Bianca held Porkchop close; deep, hiccuping sobs ripped through her chest.

"Those bastards," Cheren hissed, his hand balling into a fist. "Bianca, I'm going to get Munny back and tie them upside down in front of the stock exchange!"

"I'm willing to help you with that," Arty said. Bree shouted in assent as well. "But Iris is right; Castelia is huge. Even if they just ran off, we may not be able to catch them in time." Bianca let out another wail at this.

"Wait!" Cheren slid his glasses into position, his eyes sparking with an idea. "Bree, Bianca, how good are you Herdiers' senses of smell?"

"P-Pretty good..."

"Kaylee smelled the burger restaurant a half-mile away. That's how good."

Cheren smiled. "And don't you think that River would know what Munny, her teammate, would smell like by now?"

Four sets of eyes widened in slow understanding.

"Cheren, you are a genius."

He brushed off some imaginary dirt from his navy blue jacket. "I know."

"River," Bianca said, "Can you please help track down the guys who took Munny?" The Herdier barked and growled in assent.

"Guys, I'm gonna stay with Bianca and make sure nobody bothers us."

"Perfect," Arty said. "Oh, don't give me that look; Iris is a lot stronger than she seems." He motioned at River and Bree, who released Kaylee and let the Herdier join her friend to lead the group. "Now let's go rescue a pokemon!"

* * *

N sat on the park bench, sharing a Castelia-specialty ice cream cone with a stray Scraggy whom he found wandering the streets. Actually, he wasn't sharing it. He had brought two and eaten one, giving the other to the Scraggy. And honestly, that wasn't even his plan in the first place.

N had lined up to buy the delicious treat, standing patiently behind a whole crowd, ranging from parents with young children to clerks in business suits to a young man in a light blue windbreaker with tousled brown hair, covered by a cap which the Pansear on his shoulder had swiped with a laugh. With a muttered, "Pepper," the boy replaced the cap. Of course, she had just swiped it again moments later.

Watching the banter between the two, N was reminded of Bree and her pokemon, especially Kazumi.

Bree.

He had seen glimpses of her the past few days after defeating Arty-sometimes by herself, but more often with her two friends, the spacey, innocent Bianca and the intelligent, ambitious Cheren. He had wanted to approach her several times, but for some reason his chest and stomach churned and he always chickened out at the last moment.

Which was why he bought two cones. He wanted to give one to her, see her smile, hope that she'd share it with her pokemon as well (She was so nice to her pokemon)...Except that, of course, he had lost his nerve again.

Why did he act so strangely around her? Why was he acting this way?

As he gulped down the last of the delicious creamy treat, N heard loud barking fill the air. Two Herdiers raced past him, followed by the black-haired boy (Cheren), Arty, and...Bree. Cheren's face was fixed in determination, lips contorted in controlled fury. Arty weaved a vivid, vibrant tapestry of profanity that involved Team Plasma, their various orifices, and his Whirlipede's venomous spines. Bree opted for the simple yet effective cluster F bomb.

N watched them go. She didn't even notice him, so fixed was she on retrieving her friend's pokemon (So that's what they were just celebrating...). N was relieved, and yet disappointed.

She was making him rethink things, making him stray from the plan. He knew this, knew she would likely ruin everything, and yet N couldn't stay away. He couldn't stop thinking about her smile, all parted lips and white teeth and little dimples, about her brilliant blue eyes, about the way her hand was small and soft and warm and enveloped in his.

Her touch. N wouldn't admit it, hated it in fact, but he...He liked it when a person touched him. Not a pokemon, a person. Just hugged him, or tapped his shoulder, or held his hand. Maybe it was because he didn't get much of it (The last time N's father touched him, other than the clinical handshake and brief, awkward, hug before he went out into the world, was when N had cut himself trying to shave the scraggly green hairs that haphazardly grew on his upper lip and chin; his father, his head shaking in disapproval, guided the boy's hand as he taught his son how to properly shave), but N craved human contact, even if he despised himself for it. Humans were nothing but big meanies to pokemon, after all.

(Even though very, very few people he'd met Outside were meanies...Especially not Bree...)

Yet, somehow, N knew that only Bree's hugs, or Bree's warm hand in his would elicit this kind of strange, unknown reaction. It was only Bree whom he thought about on a regular basis, at the most inopportune moments. It was only Bree whom he imagined hugging, whom he wanted to understand most of all. It was only Bree whom he became distracted around, whom he forgot how to talk around, whom made him want to forget the Plan, if she couldn't be convinced (Please let her be convinced)...

And when he thought of Bree, which was happening with a frightening frequency over the past few days, a little flame curled itself around his heart and _squeezed_, as if Reshiram himself had breathed a tiny ember into his Hero's chest...

What was he feeling, this new, unknown, terrifying, almost painful, sometimes burning desire which he could neither place nor name?

What was going on with him?

Why was he feeling this way?

* * *

A/N: I hope you guys liked the last part. I did...

Okay, so since I'm not exactly a great writer, I know I didn't capture the awesomeness that is Castelia, which is based off of Manhattan, but I'll try...

Skyarrow Bridge=The Brooklyn Bridge.

Castelia=Downtown Manhattan, specifically South Street Seaport and the financial district. In front of the stock exchange is a statue of a bull; a bull market is a favorable stock market while a bear market is an unfavorable one.

River Street=Canal Street. They spent time in the equivalent of Chinatown, and yes, that's a real restaurant in Chinatown.

Unity Square Park=Washington Square Park, next to NYU and Greenwich Village (Called The Village). Not a direct allusion in the game; I'm pretty sure it would have the arch otherwise, but that's what fanfiction is for!

West Village=Greenwich Village. Lots of dirt-cheap food around her. Quality varies (College students), but if you know where to look...

East Village=East Village. Lots of delicious, dirt-cheap food, especially around St. Marks place. (Fun fact: The place was a dump around 30 years ago or so). In one 2-block area, there's **amazing** French Fries, burgers, falafel, and ramen, and the most expensive food is the ramen, at around $10.

See you next update!


	11. Did He Take A Page From The Joker?

Haha, wow! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, everyone! And yeah, Pokemon White is great, and I'm having a lot of fun with it, and I caught a shiny Klink!

Anywho, next chapter! And this one's a longer one, too. Remember, I know exactly where I'm going with this, so if you want to be able to make an educated guess, then please read carefully. But more importantly, please enjoy! (And review. That's important too. :P)

* * *

One Castelian characteristic that Bree and Cheren had noticed rather quickly was the propensity of the locals to completely ignore any trouble unless either a) it involved them or b) was on fire. This time, Bree was actually thankful for this trait, as it meant that nobody gave her, Cheren, or Arty any trouble while he was busy interrogating a cornered Plasma grunt in a shaded alleyway.

"You know," Arty said in a seemingly relaxed voice, his hands resting nonchalantly behind his head as Cheren and Bree guarded his sides, "Most gym leaders do some sort of charity or volunteer work, on top of their day jobs. Elesa raises money for an electric pokemon sanctuary. Falkner volunteers at an aviary. Me? Well, the LGBT community really helped me out over the years, and I like to repay the favor by helping out with events and talks and the like." Arty shrugged. "Why am I telling you this? Well, one of my favorite lessons is a little talk with teenagers, where I try and educate the horny little buggers about the subtle yet important different between what **can** go in an orifice and what **should.**"

On that last statement, Arty released Thorn, the Whirlipede dripping venom from long spines, and gave the Plasma grunts A Look. They couldn't answer quickly enough.

"It's in the West Village!"

"Across from the gym!"

"What the-?" Arty's eyes grew huge. "Oh fucking fuck fuck!" he shouted. The Castelia gym leader turned and ran out of the alley at full speed; Cheren and Bree following him.

Cheren couldn't help but ask, "Wait, so are you really-"

"Bisexual, but that's really not important right now," he called back over his shoulder. "Ugh, how could I not have seen it? I'm such an idiot!"

* * *

Frankly, there really wasn't any excuse as to why Arty hadn't been more suspicious. As he would later say, "I hadn't seen anyone enter or leave the building in the past few weeks, yet the lights were always on and nothing inside looked messed up. So, basically, I'm as dumb as an inbred Ryhorn with a brain tumor."

The room inside the building was large, clean, and bare. There was a couch and a countertop, and an elevator in the back. In the whitewashed room with the linoleum floor, these were the only furnishings. The elevator in back pinged open, releasing five grunts who released their pokemon and charged at Arty, Cheren, and Bree.

One very thorough trouncing later, the two trainers and the gym leader recalled their pokemon while the Plasma grunts were literally tied up from his Leavanny's string shot. Cheren, who was giving directions to Iris and Bianca while in the middle of the battle, turned around and greeted the two girls, who were at that moment running through the door.

"This city's ginormous!" Iris shouted. "Even with your directions, we got lost!"

"Is...Is Munny in here?" Bianca's head hung in shame; Bree and Cheren walked over to give their friend a hug.

Arty nodded. "Yep. Other pokemon may be inside as well." He walked over to one of the tied-up grunts, got on his knees, and said in false cheeriness, "So, where is this girl's Munna? And the other pokemon you stole?"

The bound grunt spat on his shoes. "Fuck you," he shouted, "You and all you other pokemon abusers should go jump into the bay and drown!"

Arty just nodded and stood up. "I thought you'd say something like that," he responded, "Which is why we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Now, I'm an artist, which means that I have a...Rather robust creative streak. Since right now the hard way involves, oh, let's say, circumcision with a Haxorus..." The tied-up grunt suddenly became several shades paler.

At this point, the elevator opened up again, and out stepped two men clad in overly opulent robes. One was an older man with whitening hair (Though still Bree could see wispy shades of brown around his ears) and calm brown eyes. The other, she realized with a sudden chill, was Ghetsis.

Why did the sight of him unnerve her so?

"My word," he said, "If it isn't the gym leader, Arthur Burgh."

Arty didn't comment on the terminology. "So tell me," he said with folded arms, "What is exactly the guiding principle of Team Plasma? Take whatever you want from people?"

The older "sage" leaned into Ghetsis' ear and mumbled, "I thought it would be amusing to locate our hideout right next door to the gym..."

Ghetsis pushed him away. "No matter, Bronius. We already have a wonderful base of operations." He looked right at the five of them. "Tell me, do you know of the legend of how Unova was founded?"

Iris jumped up and down, waving her hand in the air. "Ooh, I know! It's of Reshiram, right?"

Ghetsis nodded. "Correct. Reshiram banded with a human seeking the truth, and bared its fangs against all who would oppose them. Together, they brought unity to the hearts of everyone in the land, and that is how Unova was founded."

Cheren, Bianca, and Bree glanced at each other. What was he rambling on about?

Ghetsis smiled. "I'd remember that if I were you. Our plan is to unify the world under one banner, where I-Pokemon will finally be at ease!"

Arty just stared at him flatly. "Have you taken a look around this place? Here in Castelia, we have so many different people and cultures, and all those cultures blend together! Monochome paintings are boring! Even if our ways of thinking are different, we're all Castelians. We can debate and even if we don't agree with another person, at least we acknowledge each others' differences and right to have them. Remember your speech in Accumula? You helped me rethink my relationship with my pokemon, and I thank you for that."

"...Does that mean...?"

Arty smiled. "I'm going to devote even more of my time to taking care of my pokemon, and making sure that they're happy."

Ghetsis laughed. "You're quite intelligent, Arthur Burgh! I like intelligent people. In fact, I helped gather intelligent people from all over the world for our king."

Bree blinked. King?

"The seven sages," he continued, "And we help to advise our king." Ghetsis nodded in Bianca's direction. "Very well," he said, "We will submit to you today and be on our way. Return this girl's pokemon!"

One of the grunts stepped forward and released Munny, who ran into Bianca's arms. She hugged the pink pokemon tightly, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes from relief. "Munny," she cried, "Oh, thank you! Munny, I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Hey," Iris said, "Whatcha thanking them for? They're the ones who stole it in the first place!"

Cheren placed a hand on her shoulder. "Iris," he said, "Just let Bianca be right now."

"I'm just...Munny, you're safe..."

Ghetsis smiled warmly at Bianca and her pokemon. "The friendship between good-hearted trainers and their pokemon can be touching. But to separate foolish trainers..." He shook his head, and motioned towards the others as he walked towards the door. "Farewell..."

"Oh no you don't!" As Team Plasma headed out the door, Bree ran after them.

"Bree!" Cheren shouted after her, "I told you not to do anything rash!"

However, she didn't hear him. What Bree did hear, though, was Ghetsis shouting something at Bronius around the corner.

"Thought it would be amusing? How pathetic can you be, that you desperately need even the tiniest bit of amusement so?"

Something mumbled under his breath, so low that she couldn't hear. Then Ghetsis laughed.

It was not the warm, friendly, respectful laugh that Ghetsis gave to Burgh inside. This laugh was high-pitched, cruel and mirthless. "You're joking," he cackled, "Is that all? What are you, eight? How pathetic, that you're still letting such a trivial matter affect you. It was ten years ago, for crying out loud! We all made the sacrifice, and do you see any of the others getting all twisted up like you are? Bronius you idiot, grow up!"

Footsteps, coming closer. Bree, knowing that she had just heard something that she shouldn't have, pressed herself against a nearby dumpster. However, she was not fast enough to escape the notice of a furious Bronius, his fists opening and closing like little mouths, who hissed, "What did you just hear?" and, in the same movement, grabbed at her wrist and violently shoved her aside.

His grip was tight, much tighter than the grip of her friends, and he inadvertently pushed up the black bands that always graced her wrists and his nails dug in tight too tight and were sharp _sharp like teeth!_ and it hurt to see and it hurt to breathe and she could see a fist flung into her vision and something black and something brown racing towards her...

For Bree, the world went white.

* * *

The world swam back into focus, slowly at first, in that soft drifting way that for a moment made Bree wonder whether this was a dream or reality. When her vision sharpened and became fully clear, Bree saw that she was sitting on a bench next to the fountain in the center of Unity Square Park, Bianca, Cheren, Arty, and Iris looking at her in concern. Turning her head, Bree saw her pokemon supporting her, and Kazumi holding her hand in black-furred paws.

Bree groaned, shaking off the headache. "I...What happened? I remember running after Ghetsis and that Bronius guy and then..."

Arty glanced at her friends, his normally amicable face creased with worry. "Does...That usually happen with her?"

Cheren shook his head. "That hasn't happened in almost ten years."

"Wait," Bree asked, "What did I do?" She looked down at her left hand. "And why is my hand a bit sore?"

"I don't know what he may have said," Cheren responded, "But I saw him grab your wrist, and fairly tightly too. Then you started screaming and punched him in the face."

Bree looked down at her wrists, once again covered by the black bands. "...Oh." She looked back up at her friends, Iris, and Arty. "I'm sorry about that, guys. I...I'm not sure what happened."

"It's okay, Bree," Bianca said. "What matters is that everyone's safe, and I got Munny back!" She buried her head into her Munna's body.

"Bianca?" Cheren leaned closer to her friend.

"I'm not even strong enough to protect my pokemon," she whimpered, "Dad said that once I got to Castelia, I'd get overwhelmed and come crawling back..." She lifted up her head, emerald eyes fixed in determination behind the tears. "I'm gonna prove him wrong! I'm gonna get stronger, so that I can protect myself and my pokemon!"

Iris jumped up and down. "I'll help you train, Bianca!"

"As will I," added Cheren as he stood up. "Coming from your theater experience and knowledge of visual patterns that come with fashion design, your strengths involve disguise, and deception. I think I can help you use your known skills to your advantage."

"Me too! Sorry Arty, but can my gym challenge wait a couple days?"

Arty smiled and shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

At this point, Iris turned around and squealed, "Ooh! They have a cupcake truck!" Before anyone else could say anything, Iris was already running across the length of the park, Arty, Cheren, and Bianca following the violet-haired girl.

Bree was left alone with her pokemon, sitting by the fountain. Looking surreptitiously over her shoulder, the girl pushed up her wristbands, and stared at the nearly-identical semicircles of little white pinprick scars that graced both of her wrists.

Kazumi nudged her, the Dewott looking up at her trainer in concern. She squeaked softly; Bree shook her head and smiled, scratching Kazumi's blue-furred ears. "Wish I knew how I got them too," she said to her pokemon.

Kaylee then jumped into Bree's lap, tail wagging, and licked her face. "Eee-hee! Okay, okay! Thank you Kaylee!" She set down her Herdier, who nuzzled Simon before sitting attentively in front of Bree. "Hey," she said as she slid the sweatbands back to their original position, blocking the small scars from view, "I bet that cupcake truck has treats for pokemon too. Let's go!"

* * *

Bree clawed her way though the viscous, bright yellow substance that she sincerely hoped was a honey substitute. In any case, Bree was covered from head to toe in the gunk, her hair was plastered to her head, her boots made disgusting sounds when she walked, and she was quickly coming to the conclusion that Arty was freaking insane.

Finally, peeling globs of the sticky stuff off her skin and clothes, she made her way to the back of the gym, which thankfully was actually somewhat clean, where Arty sat hunched over a desk, scribbling with a pencil in one hand and kneading a rubber eraser in another. At the sound of Bree's footsteps, he turned around, lazily leaning in the chair. "Bree!" he said cheerfully. "How are you liking my new gym design I'm experimenting with?"

Random syllables spluttered out of her mouth, followed by, "What kind of crazy-"

Arty just bent over laughing in his chair. His laughter was bright and infectious, nothing like the coldness of Ghetsis from a couple days ago. "I just changed it this morning to test it out before Halloween next month," he said, "You like? Or does it bug you too much?"

Bree just groaned at the awful pun and sent out Simon, saying, "Can we just do this so I can shower? Honestly, I can barely walk like this!"

Arty just grinned and sent out a Dwebble. "Then let's get this show started!"

Although the Dwebble, Obsidian, was able to endure Simon's direct clawing attacks and respond with sharp pinchers, the Drilbur eventually managed to shove his claws directly into the rocky shell and drag the little crab out of his armor before Arty surrendered and sent out Thorn.

"You got lucky; that was Obsidian's first battle!" he shouted. "But Thorn's going to be a bit tougher to squish!" Indeed, no sooner had Simon taken one cautious swipe at the Whirlipede's spiny exterior than the pokemon executed a powerful rolling attack towards the little mole. Simon took one look at the gigantic ball of poisonous spiky doom headed right towards him and ran screaming towards Bree, who withdrew Simon and replaced him with Kazumi. Kazumi glanced around, taking in her surroundings, then looked at Bree and nodded. Once again, she got this sense of almost-understanding from her pokemon (Was this what N was talking about all along?)

_Bree, I've got an idea._

She nodded, leaving it all up to her pokemon. Waiting until the very last moment, Kazumi lept up onto Thorn's back right as he was about to flatten her. Somehow managing to balance on the Whirlipede's back, Kazumi guided him towards a puddle of the pseudo-honey that had spilled on the floor. She lept off of Thorn, letting the other pokemon's momentum carry him into the sticky puddle, where he got stuck. With a flash of her shell blades, Kazumi dove in for the attack.

Thorn fought back valiantly, piercing the Dewott's defenses, but it wasn't enough. The Whirlipede soon fainted under the sheer brunt of Kazumi's relentless slicing attacks.

"That was impressive," Arty said as he withdrew Thorn. "How did you plan that out?"

Bree shrugged. "I didn't. Not really. Kazumi just told me that I had an idea and to trust her with it, which I did."

With a smile, Arty released his last pokemon. "You may be close to your pokemon, but I'm an insect at heart too. Alex, let's give them all we've got!"

Kazumi stood to face the Leavanny, then doubled over with a groan. Bree ran towards her Dewott to see the otter's face a troubling shade of purple; her paws and arms scratched with several shallow wounds.

"Thorn's well...Thorns poisoned her," Arty said. Bree nodded and quickly withdrew Kazumi; the pokeball would keep her stable until they got to a center.

"Kaylee! Let's go!" The Herdier barked a challenge towards her opponent, then charged.

However, though Kaylee could practically gallop through gravel and sand, the string shots that Alex repeatedly shot out stuck to her paws and slowed her down. By the time Kaylee actually tackled Alex, the force of the blow was much less than it could have been.

A flurry of razored leaves slashed through Kaylee's thick black fur, though only left shallow cuts. Undaunted, Kaylee wrestled Alex to the ground, biting at the Leavanny's leaves and antennae. Finally, Alex threw up her leaf-shielded hands in surrender.

Arty withdrew his defeated Leavanny, shaking his head yet with a broad smile on his face. "I had a feeling that you'd win. That was truly insectible!"

"..."

"-Er, incredible! ...That was bad, wasn't it."

"Less bad and more an executionable offense," Bree snorted.

"Hey, hey, no need to get that far! In any case, here's the Beetle Badge and all that," he said cheerfully, placing the shining emerald badge into a miraculously clean palm. "Ooh, I can't wait to hear from Elesa how you'll do!"

"Elesa? The model?" Bree placed the badge into her case and looked at Arty skeptically. "...I don't think she'll want to see me covered in gunk like this." For emphasis, Bree indicated the yellow slime that clung to her clothes, smeared her cap, and weighed down the loose strands of dark brown hair that always hung separately from her ponytail no matter how many times she redid it.

"Oh, that. Don't worry," Arty replied airily. "All it is is a mixture of Alex's string shot, cornstarch, and some coloring in water. It'll dry off in about half an hour and you can pick off the big clumps, then wash the rest. And a shower will take care of your hair."

Arty had barely finished his sentence before Bree was out the door. Bree was barely out the door when her Xtransceiver rang. She answered with a lone clean finger, "What is it?"

"Bree!" Bianca's voice was audible on the other side of the street. "Let's battle! Me and Cheren-"

"Cheren and _I_," he said, popping into view.

"-Scowlyspecs and _I_," she amended with a stuck-out tongue, "have gotten a lot better, especially since Cheren and Iris helped me train! Let's all face off at once outside Route Four near the subway station!"

"Hang on," Cheren said. "Bree, what happened to your hair and clothes?"

"Cheren," she sighed into the Xtransceiver, "Did you know that Arty likes to change the layout of his gym?"

Just as she thought, his reaction when he got it was worth watching.

"Exactly," she said. "So yeah, I'll battle you. But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and shower."

* * *

Two and a half hours later, the sunny late summer day dried Bree's hair as she walked through the Castelia streets. True to what she said to her two friends, for the entire time that her pokemon were healing and her clothes were being cleaned, Bree all but drowned herself in the shower under a high-pressure stream of thankfully hot-hot water.

"Bree!" Bianca waved excitedly from down the block, Cheren standing stoically beside her. "Let's battle right now! Another three-for-all!"

When Bree released Kaylee, Cheren released Joralemon, and Bianca released River, the Pidove and Herdier immediately ganged up on Kaylee.

"Hey! What gives?"

"Simple tactics," Cheren said. "I hate to admit it, but you're my equal in strength." As he spoke, Joralemon disoriented Kaylee while River tackled her from behind. "Therefore, it would be in my best interest to take out a stronger opponent first."

"Wait," Bianca said after a moment. "Then that means that...Oh really, Cheren?"

Cheren's shoulders stiffened as he realized the hand he had just played. "Oops."

And with that, the battle truly became a free-for all, with pokemon fighting each other indiscriminately, only to be replaced by another when they were no longer able to battle. However, unlike the last time, Bree only had three pokemon with her while Cheren and Bianca had four each. Though Bianca was the first to be defeated, this time Cheren won the war of attrition.

"Ha," Cheren panted, "That was a good battle."

"Porkchop did great, didn't he? Even if he lost to Kazumi..." They walked to a nearby center and set their pokemon on the counter.

"Yes. Bianca, I think you're ready to take on Arty."

She shot a frightened glance at Bree. "When Bree came out looking like that? I don't think so."

Bree stuck her tongue out at her friend while Cheren inspected the subway map posted on the wall. "Okay, so if we want to get to Nimbasa, we need to take the Red line to..."

"That won't work today," came a voice from behind them. The three friends turned around to see the speaker standing in the doorway.

"...Lawrence?" Bianca asked. "Is that you?"

Lawrence stepped forward, his Pansear perched on his sky-blue windbreaker, one tan paw resting on a careworn red cap. It was definitely Lawrence Black, with the same messy milk chocolate hair, relaxed demeanor, and calm brown eyes.

"Hey, I remember you guys," he said, "It was...Cheren, Bianca, and Bree, right? You three beat Chili, Cress, and Cilan all at the same time!"

"That we did," said Cheren a bit smugly. "But what are you doing here."

"Well, the Striaton leaders and Dr. Fennel are on vacation, so I guess I am too," he said with a shrug. "I figured that I'd head into Castelia and Nimbasa for a few days, see the sights, maybe catch a football game. Also," he added as he scratched his Pansear's head, "Pepper and I have been talking for a bit, and we figured that it's time that she evolved, so I need to pick up a Fire Stone too. Frankly, I'm just happy that my mom's letting me go by myself. She can be a bit overprotective, especially since Team Plasma showed up in the Dreamyard a month back. Honestly, you'd have thought they made off with my pokemon when she heard about it, she got so freaked out."

"That's good to hear, but why did you say the subway won't work today?"

"Haven't you heard? A bunch of Excadrill drilled their way into the subway tunnel this morning. It's going to take a couple days for everything to be fixed up."

"So the Red line's down until further notice? What a bother," Cheren sighed, pushing up his glasses.

"Yeah, it sucks," Lawrence replied, scratching the back of his leg with the other foot. "They've got a few shuttle buses running along Route Four, but I get carsick, so I'm just going to hoof it. Besides, I like walking and seeing the sights."

Bree shouted in agreement. "Hell yeah! I'm gonna go with you!"

"But Bree," Cheren said, "Route Four tends to have sandstorms, and with your asthma-"

"I'll be absolutely fine," she said, flashing her inhaler in his face. "Seriously Cheren, last time I checked you're not my mom, and you're only a few months older than me, so you can't be my dad either! You know I love to explore!"

"If you're worried about your health," Lawrence chimed in, "Well, I do have an Audino with me, and she can keep an eye on the both of us."

Bree whooped in excitement. "Then it's settled! Cheren and Bianca, you can go sit on the smelly bus; I'm gonna go explore with Mr. McCool over here! See ya later!"

And with that, Bree ran out of the pokemon center, Lawrence following behind her, leaving Cheren and Bianca behind. He just sighed and cradled his forehead in his hand.

"Cheren," Bianca said, "You seemed a bit wound-up there..."

He shook his head. "It's nothing. Well, no. I'm just...Bianca, remember when we first met Bree? Remember how she was unable to tolerate anybody grabbing her wrists?"

After a moment, Bianca nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

"She did that again today, after the "sage" with Ghetsis grabbed her. I don't know what triggered that reaction, but to me it's somewhat troubling. I don't want her or any of us to find ourselves in a dangerous situation."

"Yeah," Bianca said, for lack of a better response. "But Lawrence is a nice guy, and he's cute like you. And Bree's got strong pokemon with her. She'll be alright."

"You're probably right." With that, the two of them bent over the newly-printed bus schedule, trying to find the timetable for the replacement shuttle bus that was just put in order.

* * *

A/N: I hoped you liked! And yeah, while it may (or may not) seem like not much happens at first...


	12. Shifting Sands, Shifting Scenes

Hey everybody, thanks for the reviews! Sorry I haven't been able to respond to them; my internet's decided to give me the finger and it won't be up for another day or so. I'm posting this from my mom's office. Anywho! Please read and enjoy! Remember, read carefully and I'd LOVE to read your speculation! *Hint, hint*

* * *

The two teenagers walked through through Route Four, boots and sneakers sinking in the shifting sands that blew over the main road, obscuring the black asphalt.

"So Lawrence," Bree asked in an effort at making small talk, "Is Pepper your only pokemon?"

"Actually, no," he replied. "Technically, even though Pepper's my starter, she's not even my first pokemon either."

"Really?" Bree ducked under a low-hanging steel girder that dangled off the half-complete skeleton of a future building. "Then who was? Is?"

Lawrence hopped over a few red bricks stacked in the sand. "Kamina, my Krokorok. He just evolved last year and I've had him since before I could remember. He doesn't like to fight much, and I don't think he had a good time around people before I met him."

Well, that was odd. "Why?"

He shrugged; a little bit of sand slid off his shoulders and collected at his feet. "Well, he tends to keep his distance around other people, although he really trusts me. And I think the end bit of his tail was cut off."

Bree turned then, and looked at the pokeball attached to his belt. "Oh...I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he said with a smile. "Heh, apparently I just called him Sandile or Sandy until my mom snuck him into the hospital when I was six. We were watching a cartoon and there was this crazy awesome guy called Kamina and Sandile was looking at the TV and I knew that he wanted to be like the cartoon Kamina, so I started calling him that."

Bree laughed. "Kazumi, my Dewott, she's named after this crazy awesome samurai in a manga that I love reading." They walked for a few more minutes when the other part of Lawrence's sentence sunk in. "Wait, the hospital?"

Lawrence stopped, looked down, nervously shuffled his feet in the sand. "I'm really not too sure what happened, and most of what I do remember was told to me by my mom after...Well, what little she told me," he eventually began. "I was six or so? And I guess I was going to have my tonsils removed or something?" He shook his head. "Anyways, I remember someone taking me into the doctor's back clinic, probably, you know, to give me the anesthesia or something like that...And I guess there was some sort of screw-up with the anesthesia because next thing I know, I'm waking up in ICU with tubes coming out of places I didn't even know I had and my mom's next to me looking absolutely terrified and...Relieved? and the doctor's telling me that my heart's going to be completely fucked up for the rest of my now significantly-shorter life."

Bree stared at the brown-haired man, aghast. What could she possibly say to that? "...I'm sorry," she murmured eventually.

He smiled, a little sad around the edges. "Don't be." Walking over to a vending machine, the young man inserted a handful of change fished from his pocket into the machine; two bottles of water dropped down. He handed a bottle to Bree as he continued, "It's not like I constantly think about it. It's like your asthma, I guess. As long as I take my medicine and don't do anything like run a marathon, I'm fine."

Blue eyes looked up from a studious inspection of yellow sands. The hanging question was too big for her to ignore. "But...When the doctor said about your shorter life..."

Lawrence looked down, the wide brim of his cap obscuring his eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was soft. "The doctor said that if I live to see sixty or seventy, I'll be a lucky man."

That last part was just too much. "Oh, Lawrence..."

"Hey, hey." He reached over Bree's arms, wrapped around his torso in a tight hug, and patted her gently on the back. "It's okay, seriously. Come on, I'm not even seventeen yet. I don't worry about it, so you shouldn't either."

Bree nodded and pulled back, stuffing her hands into her pockets. The two looked around the deserty route with the sand-whipped winds, eager for some sort of distraction. "Hey!" she exclaimed. "Even though your Pepper and my Kazumi can't stay out too long because of the sandstorm, I bet our other pokemon would love it!"

"You know, that's a good idea. Come on out and stretch your legs, Kamina," Lawrence said as he released the Krokorok. Kamina stretched in the blowing sands, flexing his claws and lashing his tail, which was several inches shorter than it should have been, Bree couldn't help but notice. Ignoring the thought, Bree released Simon and Kaylee, who shouted in excitement when they saw the huge expanse of sand that stretched before them. At some mutual signal, the two pokemon raced off of the path.

"Wait! Simon, Kaylee, get back here!" Kaylee, her large paws supporting her on the unstable ground, looked back at Bree, barked happily, then resumed chasing after Simon, who dove in and out of the sand with grace. With a groan, Bree gave chase to her two pokemon, Lawrence and Kamina not far behind.

* * *

"Bianca, hurry up! The bus is about to leave!"

"Coming!" She ran up inside the bus just as the doors closed behind her. With a swipe of the bright yellow transit card, Bianca bounced to the back of the bus, where Cheren had saved a seat for her.

As she settled in her seat, adjusting her skirt, the bus revved to life and the towering skyscrapers of Castelia began to flow past them outside the window; slowly at first, then faster and faster. Eventually, the backdrop of steel thinned out, to be replaced by a visage of seemingly endless desert and flowing dunes, broken up by construction.

The sandstorm was blowing strongly, and the bus had to slow down. They wouldn't be at Nimbasa for three, four hours.

"So, Cheren," Bianca said excitedly to her studious friend, who was busy reading a textbook on the chemical reactions behind the various types of fire attacks, "Whatcha going to do when you get to Nimbasa?"

"Bianca," he said with a sidewards glance, "We both know that my main goal involves the Bolt Badge."

"Come on, Scowlyspecs," she cheerily said, "There's so much more you can do! Like watching a football game-"

"I can think of several dozen better ways to spend my time than watching intellectually-stunted brutes hurl themselves at each other for my entertainment while other equally imbecilic "peers" sitting beside me make an inordinate amount of noise, paint their bodies blue, and chug what should be a borderline lethal dose of alcohol."

"-Or go on the Ferris Wheel," Bianca added, not skipping a beat.

Cheren pushed up his glasses. "You know that I'm not too fond of heights."

"Ooh, I got one!" She leaned over Cheren's textbook-he rolled his eyes but made no movement to push her away-and grinned. "You should go to the musical with me! I bet Bree would be happy to come along!"

He paused, slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose thoughtfully. "Hm," he mused, "That would be a good way to spend an evening."

"Exactly! Oooh, I really wanna see Phantom! Phantom is awesome!" With that, she pulled out a bright pink IPod and offered one of the earbuds to Cheren.

Cheren wrinkled his nose in distaste before producing an alcohol hand wipe and cleaning off the earbud before listening alongside Bianca to the overpowering music. Bianca began to sing along; softly at first, then louder and louder, until the person sitting behind them leaned over and told Bianca to shut up. After than she began carefully looking through her pokedex with a reddened face while Cheren returned to his textbook, occasionally glancing out the window to see the desert rushing by.

About half an hour later, the young nerd felt a soft thump on his shoulder; he turned his head to see the tip of Bianca's lime-green beret staring him in the face. Glancing a little bit downward, he saw her short blond hair spilled over closed eyes and a slightly parted mouth. Cheren just closed his eyes and sighed. Of course she'd fall asleep on his shoulder. How she could fall asleep on a bumpy bus ride was beyond him, but Bianca was sound asleep. And he couldn't very well move his arm, since his friend was a notoriously light sleeper.

"What a bother," he muttered to himself. Still, she could have fallen asleep on his right shoulder. At least his dominant hand was free to scratch out some battle strategies that he'd like to try in the future. With a little half-smile, he let Bianca be.

* * *

"Got you!" Bree, panting for breath, plucked Simon out of the sand; Kaylee stopped and danced around her ankles, barking happily. "Seriously, guys! You know I can't run as fast as you, especially in this sandstorm!" she admonished. "And now we've got no idea where we are!"

Simon gave her a look that plainly said, _You're one to talk._ (Since when had she become so good at understanding her pokemon...?)

"Yes, Simon, but now we're lost in the middle of a _desert_ with hardly any food or water and the sandstorm's starting to make it hard for me to breathe and-" And now Bree, realizing the potential situation they had gotten themselves into, could feel the first probing tendrils of panic.

"We're not lost," Lawrence said. "Look," he pointed to a nearby sign, "The Desert Resort. I've heard of this place. Apparently we're nearby a popular tourist destination. They've got ancient ruined castles and stuff."

"Ancient castles?" Her face split into a broad grin. "Sweet."

One hour and forty-two minutes later, Bree found herself regretting her previous choice of words.

"Okay, not so sweet," she groaned behind a makeshift face mask that kept the blowing sand out of her nose and mouth. Behind her, Lawrence had pulled up the hood of his windbreaker and tightened it to the point where she could barely see his face. Even Kaylee, Simon, and Kamina were moving more slowly now, sticking close to their trainers. The sand pounded their bodies, scraping against Bree's bare arms and legs, accumulating in their hair and the linings of their clothes.

"I guess all the tourists are inside because of the sandstorm," Lawrence said, his voice muffled.

"No shit, Sherlock," Bree muttered as they trudged through the sand, attempting to find a person or landmark of some kind. If such a thing were possible in these rolling hills and this raging sandstorm.

However, just a few minutes later, the sandstorm subsided just enough for a towering, crumbling pillar of red sandstone to come into view. Kaylee stopped, sniffed the air. Then she crouched into a running position, turned back at her trainer with a look of _please?_

"Alright!" Her fist pumped the air in excitement. "I bet you there's people in there! Come on Lawrence, before the sandstorm kicks up again!"

The two trainers and their pokemon ran as quickly as they could through the undulating waves of sand, ignoring the scavenging Dwebbles, inquisitive Darumakas, and watchful eyes of guardian Sigilyph.

Until Bree's booted foot stomped down onto a darker patch of sand that flowed oddly. With a scream as the already-unstable ground gave way, Bree found herself sucked down by the hungry earth into darkness; her pokemons' cries echoing as they too found themselves dragged down.

"Bree? Where are-Oh shi-" Before Lawrence could finish his sentence, or run away, he too was drawn into the abyss.

* * *

"What are you talking about?" The girl drew back from the older man, clutching an injured Solosis. "I don't abuse my pokemon! Jello and I lost against Elesa and I'm healing him is all!"

"You force your pokemon to fight and you're hurting him! Can't you see you're hurting him?" N, already on the border of a temper tantrum, whipped around to yell at the nurse. "And you," he whined, "Don't you guys heal pokemon! You're nice for that, but then you're meanies for letting these people tell their pokemon to hurt each other! You should tell them to not have pokemon hurt each other! Battles are cruel! You're all meanies for making pokemon battle!" He turned back to the girl, tears in his eyes. "If you loved your pokemon so much, you'd let him go and be free and happy!"

(Ignored the Solosis saying, _It's okay, Katie. We'll do better next time. _Instead he heard the injured pokemon.)

N's face was screwed up in frustration; he repeatedly stomped his foot on the ground. "Mmmmm! How could you all be okay with hurting pokemon?"

One of the nurses tentatively approached him, laid a careful hand on his shoulder. "Sir? If you can't calm down, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Fine!" he shouted in a sudden almost explosive fury. "I'll go and stay somewhere else where I don't have to hear people hurting pokemon while pretending to be nice!" With that, N stormed out of the pokemon center, filling it with an awkward silence. One of the nurses turned to the girl and her Solosis, and soon the center regained its normal rhythm.

N, however, was so torn that he practically swayed in the streets, brushing past people as he aimlessly walked beneath the colorful billboards and bright lights to the first hotel he'd see that didn't...Wasn't "too much".

He started screaming in there. He shouldn't do that. He scared the pokemon. He shouldn't do that. Hugging himself, N recited the fundamental theorems of calculus until he felt his shoulders slacken. There. Now he could think.

Black and white. You're either this, or that. Like numbers. Should be like numbers. Then it's easy to figure out where you and everyone stand. Pokemon and him and Father and Plasma, they were Good. They wanted to help pokemon. Trainers and gym leaders, they were Bad. They wanted to hurt pokemon. People who actively hurt pokemon...They were Very Very Very Forever Bad.

But...There were trainers (Bad) who cared about their pokemon (Good). There were nurses at the pokemon center who made pokemon healthy (Good) but didn't stop trainers from hurting them again (Bad). The gym leaders (Bad) seemed to want to make their pokemon happy (Good)...

And then there was Bree. She was a trainer (Bad), whose people friends (Good? or Bad?) thought she was Good, and her pokemon...

Her pokemon _**liked**_ her.

And N...He...No logic to it, none of the good clean math, he wanted her to be Good.

Maybe there was a third category, N thought. Maybe...There was Good, Bad, and Good But Misguided?

Yes. That made sense. Bree and the nurses, they were Good, but just had to see that enslaving their pokemon was Bad. And that was where he and Plasma came in. Just one more variable to the equation. He'd be able to solve it.

N relaxed as he walked through the back streets of Nimbasa. His internal dilemma solved, he didn't even notice that the streets he walked in were duller, the houses more unkempt. The streets were cracked, tangled weeds grew in empty lots. Thin glinty metal things lay on the pavement and the whole place smelled like the thing in public bathrooms that N at first thought was a big sink but was horrified to learn was actually to pee in.

N didn't notice, nor did he much care. He heard the voices of his pokemon friends hiding behind garbage in shadowed back alleys. He knew he was safe as long as his friends around.

He didn't pay any attention to the fact that the place his feet had led him too was called the Notell Motel either, and he paid no attention to the yellowed stains on the peeling wallpaper, or the mildew creeping up off-white linoleum. He didn't pay much attention to the two people in front of him checking in either, who were tangled up in each other, pressing their mouths together and grabbing what Father had offhandedly mentioned were the "No Touch" spots before sending N to the Outside to complete the Plan.

(Which is why when he saw the two he did **not** suddenly feel the hallucination of silky flowing molasses hair between his fingers, and his insides did **not** suddenly smolder. Nuh-uh. Not. At. All.)

Throwing back loose strands of tea-green hair, dirty key in hand, N walked into the marginally cleaner hotel room. He threw himself back on the old creaky bed, sighed while staring up at the ceiling. Meanies and nice people and Bree with the sparkling-water eyes who set a fire under his heart. It was all so confusing and made his head hurt.

A little scritching sound derailed N's thoughts. He looked under the bed to see, past the dust and used band-aids and a crumpled clear plastic tube thingy, a little Joltik sucking electricity out of a plug. With a smile, he held out a hand to the spider; the Joltik scurried up his skinny arm and nestled under his cap.

Carefully leaning back against the chipwood headboard, N smiled. This made sense. Pokemon didn't fake things. Pokemon didn't lie.

Lie...Hiding things was lying too.

...He'd have to tell her.

Oh _please_ let her take it well.

* * *

Darkness darkness people pressing in close _too close!_ pinned down against people (dead people?) can't move can't breathe _can't move can't breathe!_ roaring roaring like a _dragon!_ gripping shoulders shaking head pinned down can't move roaring and oh god she's gonna gonna die how did this happen roaring now sounding like letters then names, "B-Br-Bree!"

Bree stopped screaming eventually.

"Geez!" Lawrence shouted. "You trying to give me a heart attack?" Even though the little...Wherever they ended up, they were probably not dead, was pitch black, she knew that he was grimacing just now. "...I don't feel too great," he muttered.

As her heart slowed to normal, Bree tried to say something to comfort him, but could only wheeze instead. A few panicked moments of fishing for her inhaler later, she saw a flash of red light and heard a muttered, "Joy, is there anything I should worry about?" as she greedily sucked down medicated breath. Her breaths now deeper and more even, Bree snapped a glowstick she had stuffed in her bag before leaving Nuvema, filling the little cavern with a pale greenish-yellow light.

They must have fallen through into a disused part of the ancient castle, landing in a mound of sand that, having trickled down from above over the years (Even now dribbling on them), cushioned their fall. Simon, Kaylee, and Kamina, thankfully unharmed, turned from a clutch of smooth, yet cracked, oval stones that they were sniffing to their trainers, ensuring that they were okay.

Across the little cavern was Lawrence, and when Bree saw what he was doing she blushed. His shirt pulled up, an Audino leaned against his chest, listening intently with his natural stethoscope ears. But what jumped out at Bree was the large surgical scar that divided his torso in two, from sternum to navel. The hair on his chest only served to heighten the contrast.

The Audino-Joy, she supposed-flashed a thumbs-up to Lawrence, who smiled and sighed in relief. Then he looked over at Bree, who was unabashedly staring.

One awkward moment and two cleared throats later, all of Lawrence's clothes were back where they were before and the two trainers tried to think of a plan.

"I got it," Lawrence said with a snap of his fingers. "If we're in a disused part of the castle, and we're below ground, then we should be able to tunnel our way back out!"

"But Lawrence, we don't know how far below ground we are. There's no way the two of us would be able to tunnel..."

Simon tugged at the white strips of fabric hanging off of her shorts.

"Oh. Right."

Which was how the three sand-loving pokemon ended up digging a rather large tunnel through the wall of the cavern while Kazumi solidified the sliding sand with repeated water guns. Pepper, for some strange reason, had decided to take the stones with her.

They broke through the wall of another underground chamber, right by the surface, to find Lenora Derry and a small team of archeologists.

"Bree," Lenora asked as the aforementioned trainer stood up, brushing an ultimately-negligible amount of sand off her white shirt and black vest, "What are you doing here with this young man? Or I suppose the better question is, how did you end up here?"

"It's a long story. Essentially, it involves exploration gone very very bad. By the way, I'm Lawrence," Lawrence said as he stuck out his hand. "Please to meet you."

"It was smart of you to travel together," a young man behind Lenora piped up, "But the Desert Resort's closed this time of year, 'cause of all the sandstorms."

"A bit too late for that, don't you think?"

"Well, you're unharmed, so all's well that ends well," said Lenora. "And...Wait." She leaned forward, inspecting the stones that Pepper had taken with her. "Oh my. Everyone, look at this!"

The other archeologists took the stones, inspecting them thoroughly, shouting in excitement.

"A whole clutch of fossilized eggs! In nearly perfect condition!"

"I think they're Archen eggs too! If they are, we've never found so many in such good shape!"

"This is unbelievable!"

Bree and Lawrence looked to their pokemon. "You found fossils?"

"That is awesome! Lawrence, that makes this whole screwy trip so worth it!"

Lenora looked at the eggs, which her Minccino was busy cleaning, then back at the two teenagers. "Even if they aren't Archen eggs, this is a rare and valuable find. I can't wait to put them on display. Still, I need to think of some suitable thank-you gift..." She chuckled at the smiles that appeared, though quickly checked, on their faces.

The younger man approached the gym leader. "Uh, Mrs. Derry? I think I've got a good idea." He whispered something into her ear, she nodded and clapped her hands.

"Bree, Lawrence," she said, "Would you like to receive a revived fossil pokemon? They're very strictly regulated, and you probably wouldn't be able to get one otherwise."

"Hell yeah!"

"Thank you, Leader Lenora."

"You're a very polite young man," she said with approval. The younger man, one Randy Mann as Bree would later learn, approached with an Archen and a Tirtouga.

"The Archen is female, the Tirtouga is male. Archen can't fly, but she loves gliding, so you might want to let her perch on your shoulder, or **gently** toss her like you'd throw a paper airplane. Tirtouga's more relaxed, and he gets along very well with other pokemon."

"I'll take the Tirtouga," Lawrence said. "Bree, is that okay with you?"

"More than okay!" In fact, Archen had already hopped onto her shoulder, little claws gripping the fabric. "Can we name them?"

Lenora nodded. "Of course."

Lawrence smiled at the Tirtouga in his hands. "I think I'm going to call you Hilbert, Tirtouga. You good with that?"

"Archen, I'm gonna call you Eve!"

After Bree and Lawrence got acquainted with their new pokemon, and Lenora explained how to care for them, the Nacrene gym leader clapped her hands and asked, "So where are you headed?"

"Well," Bree scratched her neck sheepishly, "We were going to head to Nimbasa, but then Kaylee and Simon started racing in the sandstorm, and, yeah..."

Lenora nodded. "It may not be dark for a while, but you have no idea how to get to Nimbasa from here. Trust me when I say that you do not want to be in the desert at night, especially when you're so unprepared. Randy," she called back over her shoulder, "I'll be back in about an hour, hour and a half, okay?"

Lawrence blinked. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Her fingers snapped, an indication that the two should follow her outside. "What do you think?" Lenora asked as she hopped into the driver's seat of an all-terrain vehicle parked right by the entrance. "Get in. I'll drive you."

"Wow, thank you Leader Lenora.

Bree looked at the other two with wide eyes. "An ancient castle, free super-rare pokemon, and a ride to Nimbasa. This was the best detour ever! Cheren and Bianca are gonna be so jealous."

* * *

A/N: So basically, Lawrence has a heart condition, he and Bree end up sucked in quicksand due to rashness but get a Tirtouga and Archen out of the ordeal, N throws a temper tantrum and gets kicked out of the pokemon center for it, then ends up unknowingly staying in Skid Row, while Cheren and Bianca have an uneventful bus ride. :P

...Did I portray N well in this chapter? I hope I did. (Fun Fact: I was originally going to have him watch television, but that's going to happen later instead.)

Next chapter, Nimbasa! WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT.

Anyway! Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear your feedback and/or reviews! Please?


	13. See Me, Feel Me

Thank you for the wonderful reviews, everyone! Yeah, the Audino named Joy is a shoutout, though Lawrence would have had an Audino anyway for health reasons.

Anyway! Please enjoy the chapter and stick around for the author's notes; I'm playing another round of What Part Of New York Was This Inspired By?

Sorry that this chapter sucks. But I promise that the next one's gonna blow you all away.

* * *

Lenora looked over her shoulder at Lawrence and Bree, who were getting acquainted with their new fossil pokemon. "So what exactly is the paper Dr. Fennel published about? I heard about it but haven't been able to read the paper yet."

"Oh, the Chesto Berry study?" Lawrence grinned even as he tugged his cap that Hilbert had decided to gnaw on out of the Tirtouga's mouth. "That was absolutely awesome what she found out. And I helped too! Well, just with cateloging and recording results and stuff like that."

Bree tilted her head; Eve just readjusted her position and continued to rearrange the loose hair that fell from the sides of her new trainer's head with little claws and needle teeth. "What Chesto Berry study?" she asked.

Lawrence grinned, held out his hands in an expressive manner. "You're gonna love this. So you know how chesto berries can wake up pokemon who fall asleep in battle, but not pokemon who fall asleep all regular-like? Well, Dr. Fennel figured out why."

Well, now _that_ was interesting. "How?"

"Well, it turns out that when pokemon fall asleep in battle, like if Hilbert here-" he pointed to the little turtle in his lap, "-Got hit by a Watchog's hypnosis or something, then it turns out that his brain waves are different than if he just fell asleep on his own. And those different brain waves make some sort of chemical reaction in the berry that produces a noxious smell, and that wakes the pokemon up!"

"That truly is a fascinating discovery."

Bree had a more laconic response. "Awesomesauce."

"Hell yeah." Lawrence leaned forward in the ATV, peering over the Nacrene leader's shoulder; he could just make out the Route Four Throughway off in the distance. "Which is why I'm here instead of her lab right now; Dr. Fennel's off presenting her paper in Rustboro. Kinda wish I got invited too; I hear Hoenn's beautiful."

"Oh, did you hear right. I spent my honeymoon in Sootopolis and it was easily one of the best vacations of my life, and not just because I got married. You look down over the white cliffs and the crater lake and the clear skies above you and it's all surrounded by the caldera, and it takes your breath away." Lenora pulled over to a sidewalk by the highway. The sandstorm had let up somewhat; the two teenagers could see the technicolor of Nimbasa off the horizon. "Lawrence? Bree? I'm going to drop you off here. The road will take you straight into Nimbasa, okay?"

"Okay."

Lenora drove off, leaving Bree and Lawrence to walk into Nimbasa proper. When the road reached the top of a hill, the two teenagers gaped at the city before them.

It was sudden, sharp, and without any warning. The relatively drab and low-lying buildings on the outskirts of the city became emblazoned with flashing neon, blinding lights, and technicolor technological billboards that advertised everything from soda to the newest TV shows. Like a child's fingerpainting, the stimuli of lights and colors and noise of people and honking cars, of giant HD billboards on the sides of buildings and yellow taxis rushing through the streets was almost overwhelming.

"It's almost like a playground," Lawrence mused as they walked past a hundred-foot-tall animated video on the side of an office building that advertized the Red Tauros energy drink that Bree had become all too familiar with during late-night study sessions with Cheren.

And just like a child's playground, this playground had bullies too-in the form of two Plasma grunts harassing an older man, ignoring the bystanders who hung back and considered intervening.

Bree and Lawrence, they actually intervened. "Excuse me," Lawrence said in a forced cordial tone, "What are you doing?"

"This man," one of them said, "He takes other peoples' pokemon for money! 'Day care,' pah!"

The other sized up the two teenagers before him. "Hey, wait. You're trainers! Enslavers!" He shoved Lawrence to the ground and plucked a pokeball from the young man's belt. "You're free!" he shouted to the pokemon that emerged from the sphere.

If looks could kill, then the glare Pepper gave the two Plasma grunts would have left their fossils up on display at the Museum of Natural History.

* * *

"Route Four was always arid to start with, but the water demands of both Castelia and Nimbasa, coupled with the tunneling effect caused by the wind blowing between the two cities accelerated the desertification process and caused all the sandstorms which-"

"Cheren." Bianca laid a hand on the navy sleeve of his jacket. "You're babbling again."

They were sitting in one of the areas closed off from traffic, surrounded by other tables and chairs and people, walled in by towers of technicolor.

Cheren readjusted his red glasses, leaned over the cheap outdoors table with a sigh. "I know. It's just that Bree should have been here twenty minutes ago. And no offense Bianca, but you're usually the tardy one."

A pair of screaming voices interrupted his train of thought. The owners of said screams soon came into view; two singed black, sopping wet Plasma grunts tore through the street plaza, howling something about a deranged Pansear and homicidal Dewott before fleeing into the crowd and out of sight.

"...I think we found them."

Sure enough, their friend and newest acquaintance walked in, accompanied by an extremely protective Dewott and highly aggressive Pansear.

A meaningful glance in the direction that the two thugs fled. "Well, definite points for creativity there. An excellent lesson on the bonds between trainer and pokemon."

"You kidding me? We put the fear of Pepper and Kazumi into them," Bree snorted. "More like they did it themselves."

"Hey guys," Lawrence said with a friendly wave. Pepper nodded to both of Bree's friends before resuming a scan of the area. "Sorry I was so late. We kinda got caught in the sandstorm."

Bianca nodded. "I thought you look like a wreck. No offense, it's just that you've got, like, sand in your hair and stuff."

Cheren stood up. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation after you wash? I'm just glad to see that you're unharmed."

"More than unharmed! We got some freaking awesome pokemon too! Eve, say hi!" With a click of a button, Bree released the Archen, who hopped over to Cheren and Bianca, sniffing the two trainers curiously. Hilbert, having decided to stay in Lawrence's jacket where it was warm, observed the activity around him with interest.

"Eeee! She's so cute!"

"Archen and Tirtouga are quite rare," Cheren said with a slight hint of envy as they walked to the pokemon center.

Bree smiled as Eve squawked at a passing car. "I know, right?"

After the shower, Lawrence was found frowning over his cellphone, hair still damp and dripping on the screen.

"Damn it," he muttered, "My vacation's been cut short by a day. If I want to check out Gear Terminal and buy a fire stone for Pepper I'm going to have to go now."

"Awww," Bianca groaned. "But why?"

He shrugged. "Well, Chili says that he's got this great idea for a fundraiser that we've got to try out right away. Frankly, I'm a bit scared as to what it might be; his last idea involved having the customers eat off our bodies-" Bianca grinned at this last statement; Cheren rolled his eyes and calculated the probability of stepping on his friend's foot without being noticed, "-but it is my one steady job and working as a gym assistant is a pretty sweet gig, so I gotta head back tonight." Lawrence swung the blue knapsack over his shoulder and turned to leave. "I'll search you on facebook tonight. It was nice meeting you guys."

"Bye Lawrence!"

"Thanks for walking with me. Have fun with Hilbert!"

With Lawrence gone, Bianca turned to her two friends. "Hey, since you're still here, wanna see the musical district with me?"

"Of course!"

"Why wouldn't I?"

* * *

"A. Mazing. Isn't it?"

It wasn't just the bright lights of the theaters on theaters that Bianca was talking about, or the entire street full of stores selling instruments and score sheets (where did you think the orchestra got their instruments from anyway?) that had the amateur actress so enthralled. The theater was the very definition of opulence, all red velvet and gold stairways and crystal chandeliers that split light into a million facets. Bianca's face shone; Cheren and Bree were hushed as well.

"I have to admit, this is extremely impressive," Cheren said in an awed voice.

"I'm gonna get tickets for us to see Phantom tomorrow; they're at the booth outside!"

"Okay, we'll...Wait..." Bree's hand lowered; Bianca had already run out the door.

Several minutes passed and even though Joralemon had decided to roost in the chandelier before Cheren had returned the pigeon to his pokeball, there was no sign of Bianca.

Bree stood up. "Cheren, I'm looking for Bianca. You coming?" With a nod, he went with Bree to search for their scatterbrained friend.

They didn't have to look long. Right on the street outside was Bianca, reduced to tears. Her father's hand gripped her upper arm, dragging her towards the car.

"You're coming home right now!" His shout could be heard all the way up the stairs. Bree and Cheren sprinted to the curb as quickly as they possibly could.

"No!" she cried, "I wanna keep traveling with Cheren and Bree and my pokemon!"

"Absolutely not!" Mr. Noir ignored the stares of Nimbasians passing by, paid no heed to the muttered criticisms. "Other people do things their way, and we do things ours!"

"T-Then you do things your way and I'll do things mine!" Bianca wrenched herself free from her father's grip and sought refuge in the arms of Cheren, who held his friend protectively while Bree shielded Bianca with her body.

Mr. Noir's face turned an interesting shade of red. "You-Are-Coming-Home-Right-NOW! I will NOT allow you to put yourself at risk by tramping around with untamed beasts and hooligans!"

* * *

"Arty, even if Daniel's your boyfriend, he wouldn't have given you the job if you weren't at least somewhat talented. For crying out loud; you're a professional artist! You should be proud."

Jelly perched on her shoulder, Elesa Koil practically swaggered through the streets of Nimbasa. Fresh off an exhilarating tennis match (and she got front-row seats!), the gym leader with the two Emolga brothers (Peanut Butter and Jelly) was now headed to a model shoot, with a reservation at the finest restaurant for the evening.

Mistress of the spotlight, Elesa was. She fucking owned this city.

"I guess," Arty said over the phone. "Then again, I did do a pretty good job at convincing him last night."

With a person like Arty, there were several different ways that statement could be taken. Against her better judgment, Elesa took the bait. "How?" she asked. Jelly squeaked something before Elesa pushed the squirrel away with a whisper of, "Not now Jelly; you'll screw up the battery."

Arty's voice dropped to a conspiratorial, dramatic whisper; she could hear the sly grin on his face. "Well, turns out that Danny-boy here really likes honey too."

Honey? What did that...The moment of realization was immediately apparent on Elesa's face. "You're sick, Arty!" she shouted into the phone now held at arm's length; his howling laughter could be easily heard even over the din of the crowd and shouting from down the street. "Sick, sick sick!"

Eventually his roars of laughter died down to be replaced by a light rustling, the sound of tight auburn curls wound between well-groomed fingers. "Elesa," the Castelia leader asked with all seriousness, "You're coming, right?"

"Of course I am. Shouldn't that be obvious?"

"Yeah, but," He shifted in the couch, "I mean, since you're the Nimbasa leader and a model, there's gonna be lots of cameras on you at the parade and if your parents find out..."

"You know that my relationship with my parents isn't the greatest; I doubt that my attendance would affect..." Noticing the scene she had inadvertently wandered into, Elesa trailed off.

Speaking of parents...

"Arty? I'll call you back."

* * *

"I'm not a hooligan! Cheren's not a hooligan either; you take that back! Let me at him, Scowlyspecs!"

Cheren, however, wisely decided to keep a firm grip on the back of Bree's black vest. "An altercation is just going to make things worse."

"But I don't wanna go," Bianca wailed as her father tried to drag her to the car.

"Sweetie, you keep going on your travels."

Four pairs of eyes turned to the speaker. A tall, slim woman with cropped blond hair, large headphones, an outlandish shirt, and an Emolga on her shoulder approached Mr. Noir and the three teenagers.

Mr. Noir pointed an accusatory finger at Elesa. "Who are you? How dare you get involved! This is a family matter!"

"If it truly were a family matter, then you wouldn't be so eager to shout it for the entire city to hear," she replied coolly.

Bianca's face lit up, Cheren whistled under his breath, and Bree muttered, "Owned."

"My name is Elesa," she said without missing a beat. "I'm this city's gym leader and also a model." Though she turned to Bianca, whose green eyes were shining in admiration, Elesa spoke to all four of them, Mr. Noir especially. "You know, there's a lot of people in the world, and some of them may think completely differently from you. And sometimes, that means that you'll get hurt."

"Of course," Mr. Noir interjected. "That's why I want my little girl home, where she'll be safe!"

Now Elesa turned towards Bianca's father. "But sometimes you have to get hurt, to try again, to grow up and learn..." For a moment, her eyes closed. "To learn that being different is okay." She opened them again, stared at Mr. Noir with intensity. "And honestly, is it much better to keep your daughter sheltered from the world, locked away because you want to make her a certain way? Wouldn't that be hurting her even more?"

Jelly glided down to Bianca's open palms, wiped away the tears on her face. "Pokemon are wonderful," Elesa said. "They'll always be by your side, just like human friends."

Bianca ran out of Cheren's arms, to her father. "Please!" she pleaded, "Please let me go on and learn what I wanna do! I know that there's gonna be lots of painful stuff, really! But there'll be, like, lots of nice people too! And since I've been traveling with my friends and pokemon, I've gotten a lot tougher too!" Bree and Cheren nodded vigorously at this comment.

She clasped her hands together, slim fingers interlocked. "So...Please?"

Silence, even as the city rushed on around them. Silence for a long time.

Finally, Mr. Noir sighed. "I suppose...I suppose that I've been selfish as well. And...And I can see that you have grown since you left home." He looked towards Elesa, who regarded him with a cool expression. "I guess I must thank you for your comments, even if they were unasked for. And...Bianca...If traveling with your pokemon has helped you grow...Then it really would be selfish for me to cut short your journey."

"So...I can go?" Bianca lept into the air. "YIPPEE!" Caught by her two friends, Bianca, Cheren, and Bree hugged each other tightly as the two adults smiled.

"Please come home soon," he said. "I'll call you every day." And with that, Mr. Noir got in the car and drove back to Nuvema.

"Daddy," Bianca shouted after him, "I promise I'll come home after I figure out what I wanna do!"

"Thank you," Cheren said to Elesa. "If not for your comments..."

"Oh, I was worried that I was meddling unnecessarily, but you seemed troubled, so I had to chime in."

"No," Bree nearly shouted, "Thank you so much!"

The alarm on Elesa's phone went off, interrupting whatever she had to say. "I'm sorry, but I have a photo shoot that I need to attend." Turning back her head as she walked off, she added, "If you want to fight me, feel free to meet me in the gym. I'll give you a match that I'm sure will electrify you!"

Bianca began to laugh, holler with joy as her friends hugged her in delight. "Hah! That was so cool! She was so cool! I want to be a totally awesome person like Elesa is!"

"Well," Cheren said, "If you want to be, then we should train first. How about a practice spar on Route Sixteen?"

"Yahoo! That's gonna be awesome! Porkchop and River are gonna beat up everyone!"

"Not if Kazumi can help it," Bree retorted. "And I can't wait to see how Eve'll do in a battle."

* * *

The teenagers were only halfway to Route Sixteen, having taken a detour by the amusement when they ran into a very familiar young man with long green hair and a menger sponge (which Cheren had identified for a confused Bree and Bianca) that was nervously played with by fidgeting fingers.

"N? I haven't seen you in a while." Though that didn't mean that Bree hadn't stopped thinking about the enigmatic young man.

He looked at Bree, his cheeks tinged a faint pink. "I, uh," He looked down, back up, spoke in one rapid breath, "Bree-are-you-looking-for-Team-Plasma?"

A blink, a moment to decipher and process the words. "Ha, more like they're hiding in fear from me! Lawrence and I, well our pokemon, totally kicked their butts!"

N swallowed roughly. Another deep breath, and again he spoke, so quickly that the words tumbled over each other as he forced them out all at once. "Bree-do-you-remember-back-in-Striaton-when-I-asked-if-you-wanted-to-go-to-the-musuem-with-me?"

Oh, so _that's_ what it was. Bree looked back at Cheren, who shrugged and mouthed, "Just call us after," and Bianca, who squealed in happiness.

Well, he was pretty cute, and seemed like a nice person, even factoring in the pro-Plasma leanings, and truth be told Bree may have been getting a bit of a crush on the social reject...Eh, why not?

"A date?" Bree asked.

"Uh...Maybe?" N squeaked.

She smiled warmly, took his hand in hers. "Then let's go before it gets dark! Unless you like it that way, that is," she added coyly. "Come on, N!" she shouted at the green-haired young man who was busy staring dumbly at their interlocked fingers with wide emerald eyes and a reddened face.

"C-Coming!" N stuttered as he stumbled after Bree. When they were out of sight of Cheren and Bianca he stared back down at Bree's hand, small and warm and nestled in his. The strangest pang of heated joy rushed through him, once again leaving the normally rambling boy at a loss for words.

* * *

**ARE YOU EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER I AM SO EXCITED!**

Okay, so some people have said that Nimbasa=The Bronx, but other than the Yankee Stadium parallels, I really don't see it. What I DO see in Nimbasa, however, is a mashup between Midtown (Especially Times Square and 5th and 6th Avenues) and Coney Island (The amusement park). The theater where they're on is the theater district by Broadway in Midtown. And yes, there are a couple blocks full of music shops nearby; where do you think the orchestra gets their instruments from? However, the theater that Bree and Co went in was based off of Lincoln Center, specifically the Metropolitan Opera House, which does Opera and NOT Broadway musicals. Lincoln Center is kinda on the border between the theater district and the Upper West Side, but I took Artistic License here.

Other cases of Artistic License:

Entralink=Central Park, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC NO STUPID C-GEAR CRAP.

Gear Station=Basically Grand Central Terminal with a little bit of Penn Station thrown in. No, you cannot have pokemon battles on the subway. Fighting a pokemon battle on the New York subway, **epecially** during rush hour, is so incredibly stupid that I have no words for it.

N's inadvertently staying in a not-so-nice part of Nimbasa (understatement) which is basically the sketchier parts of the city that still exist. Most of the city is really safe now (Though back about 30 years ago think Ankh-Morpork), but there are still places you don't want to be at night. And N's staying there. O_O

Other Unova=New York (With a bit of New Jersey) stuff!

We know that Nacrene=Brooklyn, but there are definite hints of Soho and Tribeca in there too. Why? Because about 30 years ago or so, Soho and Tribeca were basically abandoned, full of empty **factories and warehouses**. Then the landlords were given tax breaks if they opened up the abandoned warehouses as **studio apartments.** They became extremely popular for **artists** because these apartments were cheap and had lots of space. And now Soho and Tribeca are super expensive. Sound familiar? :P

I'm gonna have a bit of a rough time with Driftveil, Mistralton, and Icirrus, because they're based off of New Jersey, and I'm from New York, not New Jersey. Besides, you all know the stereotypes we've got about Jersey. :P Besides, it's going to be winter by the time Bree and Co get there, so Cheren can't even make an "Orange is not a natural skin tone" gag! *Groans*

Opelucid, that's a bit confusing. Geographically it should be Harlem or the Bronx, but Opelucid does NOT have that feel. I'm thinking Upper West Side with a bit of Upper East Side thrown in? I dunno, but it's far away so I'll have time to change it.

Then we get back to eastern Unova, and that's a big geographical mashup. Why? Lacunosa, I'm not sure what it is (though I get a Mediterranean feel from it), while Undella SCREAMS "The Hamptons!" But the geography around it, all gorges and rivers and nature and sheer cliffs that I'm sure have huge sheets of icicles growing off them in the winter, is from upstate New York. And the gorges remind me of Ithaca. While I won't have a problem with either of them (since guess which Ivy League college in Ithaca CoffeeIncluded is attending! :D), the sharp geographical shift is a bit...Well, jarring, to be honest.

Anyway! Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy!


	14. Round And Round

FERRIS WHEEL FERRIS WHEEL FERRIS WHEEL YAAAAAYYYYY!

This chapter is short, much shorter than the others, but longer than the first. Sorry about that, but FERRIS WHEEL! You'll see why I had to split it up at the end of the chapter!

Please read and enjoy and review if you want, thanks! FERRIS WHEEL YAAAAAAYYYYY! *Runs around screaming*

* * *

Bree couldn't help but giggle at N's expression of complete enthrallment. From the delighted screams coming from the roller coaster, to the stalls upon stalls of games and sweets, to the colorful neon everywhere, to the giant ferris wheel at the very edge of the park, overlooking Nimbasa and the area around the playground city, N observed everything with wide innocent eyes, like a small child, completely blown away. Bree had to admit that she was impressed as well.

They walked through the amusement park, the smell of hot popcorn fresh in the clear crisp early autumn air. Another few days and she'd have to swap out the short shorts for jeans. But not yet. She saw how N stared with a reddened face, knew how the cut of the fabric combined with the white strips gave her legs the illusion of being longer than they actually were.

"You look better," Bree said.

He looked over and down. "Better?"

"Your skin, complexion. It's..." She waved her hand in the air for a moment. "Better. Not as pale."

She was right, N slowly realized. His skin was a bit darker than it was a few months ago. Now it was a bit lighter than Bree's.

"I mean," Bree continued as they walked past the tilt-a-whirl, "Before, in Accumula, you were really, really pale. And not pale like me or Bianca. I'm talking Petilil-kept-in-the dark pale."

Bree must have seen him bite his lip, must have heard the pained squeak, because she drew back, apology written all over her face. "I'm sorry, I..."

N licked his lips, said nothing, but smiled in a way that he hoped would smooth over the issue. There was never a Petilil, never a Petilil for him. For him, never a wilted, shriveled, stunted Petilil who had been locked away by meanie humans, had never never never seen the sun (_he had had to wear smoked glasses for two weeks after first seeing the Outside)_...

On the edge of his memory, a Petilil just like that, held by a little girl with straw-yellow hair and laughing (_crying_) blue eyes. Half-faded, out of focus, a fragment from so many years ago. Father had said that she and the Petilil were "imaginary" friends, when his real friends weren't enough and he needed someone with reliably opposable thumbs to play with.

The familiar scratchy tune of a music box, playing a joyous theme, interrupted his reverie. N looked over to see a carousel, its painted wooden pokemon going up and down in a beautiful rhythmic melding of sine curves and acceleration equations...

...And a man, his mouth smiling and his eyes soft, holding his laughing son as they went on the carousel together.

Bree turned her head to find N gazing through the window, one hand pressed against the clear glass pane, with the oddest look on his face.

This whole while, he never let go of her hand. And when she rubbed tissue-thin skin with the soft pad of her thumb, gave his hand a gentle squeeze, sparks danced around her heart and a painfully pleasant warmth pooled in his chest.

* * *

N's favorite food was alphabet soup too, Bree had learned. And just like her, he sought it out whenever he wanted to curl up in a little ball and cry.

He was seventeen and a half; his birthday was in February. "It was so cold Outside," he said, stressing the word as if it was capitalized, "and little white flakes were like pinpricks on my skin and hair. If it weren't for Darmanitan, I would have become an icicle."

Bree wasn't surprised to learn that N had set Darmanitan free by the Desert Resort, where the pokemon had been born. But when N asked why she didn't let Eve go there, set the pokemon free, because that was where the little Archen had lived so many millenia ago, she squawked something that amounted to, _Are you kidding? What the humans make is awesome!_ The green-haired youth didn't bring up the topic again.

N was vegetarian; vegan for years, in fact, until he started getting vitamin deficiencies and other fun stuff like that. Even so, the only dairy he ate essentially consisted of ice cream and chocolate; the look of guilty, almost ashamed bliss on his face as he sucked on a sliver of fudge stowed away in his pocket made Bree smile. She understood his dietary convictions, she truly did. For a year and a half when she was younger, Bree absolutely refused to eat meat; only surrendering when the doctor said that it wasn't healthy for a girl her age to be getting so little protein. Even now, Bree ate meat sparingly, and tried to get it from farm pokemon whom she knew were humanely raised.

But he had never had cotton candy, which was why Bree had practically shoved the stick of swirled blue sugar into his waiting hand, and why his smiling lips were now tinged a fluorescent blue and Eve's wings were all sticky from the treat that N had decided to share. But still! How the hell could he have never had something like cotton candy? And that wasn't the only travesty, and far from the worst-

"You've never seen Sesame Street." It was less a question than a blunt statement, made from disbelief more than anything else.

"Well, I-"

"You've never seen Sesame Street." Something inside her went off as she shook the much taller boy by his bony shoulders. A few people turned their heads at the sight of the petite girl rattling the perturbed green-haired man like an unopened present, but that didn't stop Bree's rant. "You've never even seen _Sesame Street?_ Where did you grow up for crying out loud, under a rock or underground or something?"

"Okay, okay!" N held up his hands in mock surrender, a smile that was almost playful on his face. Which left the nearly-finished stick of cotton candy exposed and unprotected; Eve pounced onto the opportunity and nearly swallowed the paper cone itself in her hastiness.

N smiled at the little Archen so obviously enjoying the treat. Then he shook his head; a serious look planted itself on his face as he turned and looked at the towering circular structure behind them.

"Let's go on the Ferris wheel."

Bree looked up at him. "Hm?"

"Do you...They're not..." He tapped his spidery index fingers together, gazed at Bree intently. "Let's go on the Ferris wheel...Uh, if you'd like." He looked up at the ride with what was almost adoration. "I love Ferris wheels," he said, half to Bree and half to himself, "The circular motions, the mechanics...They're like collections of beautiful formulas, made real and you can hold the sine curves in your hand..."

"Hm." Bree held a finger to her lips as she thought; for some reason N felt his cheeks growing a little bit warm at the sight. "You know, I never thought of it like that. Can't say I like math much, but I see what you mean. I like seeing the sights more, but of course I'll go on with you!"

* * *

N had paid for Bree's ticket, doling out the money while awkwardly mumbling something about being a princely proper gentleman. The ride itself was quite serene, treating both Bree and N to a breathtaking view of shaded Lostlorn Forest, towering skyscrapers and blinding lights of Castelia and Nimbasa, the beautiful grand Skyarrow Bridge with the setting sun framed perfectly between the two suspension towers. Unfortunately, Nuvema was just out of view; Bree was a bit disappointed that she couldn't point out her house for N.

N held her hand, fixedly stared out the window, occasionally opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again.

The sugar rush had hit Eve full force, and the little raptor had literally pinballed herself off the floor, walls, seats, and ceiling of the little cabin before Bree had recalled the Archen so she wouldn't hurt herself.

When the ride had run nearly halfway through its course, N broke his silence. "Bree," he started, "There's something I should have...Well, about Team Plasma-"

Bree rolled her eyes. "Aw, and we were going so well," she groaned as she hopped into his bony lap; N yelped softly and readjusted his weight.

"B-But Bree," he stammered as she leaned over him, "I need to-"

She held up a finger, the universal "shush" gesture, grinned with all her teeth. "N, I don't agree with your ideals about Team Plasma, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy our date. So please, I don't want to hear anything more about Team Plasma for the rest of the ride."

N opened his mouth, presumably to say something erudite. However, his thoughts were wiped away by the observations that Bree was sitting on his lap, looking straight at him, leaning over him, hands on either side of his torso. Her body was tilted so that her white shirt hang loosely off her; he could see down her shirt if he looked down (_why oh why was he so enthralled by this?_), and her legs splayed out on either side of his. The thoughts and convicted resolve of what he had set out to do in the first place was swiftly replaced by an infinite loop of _Bree is sitting in my lap, Bree's butt is IN MY LAP; why am I so excited about this?_

Therefore, what N actually said wasn't, "Bree, I'm Team Plasma's king and I'm trying with Ghetsis and the sages to free pokemon from people who hurt them and I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," so much as it was, "Guh."

Bree giggled, a light airy laugh as her arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders. N felt as if he was going to burn right down to to cinders.

* * *

The ride eventually slowed to a stop, the carriage inexorably returning to earth. Bree climbed off N with a smile, her fingers still entwined with his. N, with his green hair, was now making a very good impression of a ripe tomato.

"Hehe, you look funny. Thanks, for the ride, N. I had a really good time."

With that, she leaned in close, far too close. A strangled whimper came from N's throat, stopping abruptly as Bree ghosted her lips over N's cheek, brushing against the corner of his mouth.

She pulled away to see N's jaw hanging slack in shock. "Oh?" she asked with tilted head and coy voice. "Was that your first kiss?" She shook her head, a silly wide grin on her face. "Oh no, that'll never do."

N started hyperventilating, eyes practically bugging out of his head. "I...I...I-"

Whatever he was going to say next was lost as Bree enveloped her lips over his, capturing his mouth in a kiss.

Bree had to laugh internally as N froze stiff against her, his entire body rigid with shock. Eyes frozen open, he tightened his grip on her right hand as she threaded her left through tangled green hair. Fire erupted in his chest, blazed through his entire body, a raging inferno.

She gently coaxed his mouth open, licked his chapped lips, considered deepening the kiss but ultimately decided against it. Best not to overwhelm the poor boy, after all.

The Ferris wheel ground to a stop when Bree finally pulled away, crossing her arms in contemplation as N gripped the metal seat with white knuckles so he wouldn't fall over.

"Hm," Bree mused, "Practice and chapstick. And practice. That's all you need."

"There-There's going to be more of _that?_" N's shock was easily conveyed in his voice.

Bree tilted her head. "Why? You didn't like it?"

"I, uh..." A heavy swallow. "It was..._Wow,_ but..."

"Bree White strikes again!" she shouted with a fist pump. "Uh, sorry," she quickly amended, taking his hand and leading him out of the Ferris wheel; N was still completely gobsmacked, with the exact appearance of someone who had just been attacked by several dozen Conkeldurrs in a row. The poor boy would probably trip over his own untied sneakers if she let go of his hand right now.

But yeah. N, that wasn't a bad date, Bree thought to herself. The guy definitely needed a lot of living-what kind of person never had cotton candy?-but Bree White was nothing if not vivacious. And that wasn't too bad, for a first kiss.

Yep, she figured as she led a still-paralyzed N through the amusement park, the sun beginning to set in the distance, this was a pretty good day.

A pair of voices and footsteps made her turn, made N audibly gulp.

"My Lord N!"

And the world dropped out from under Bree's feet.

* * *

A/N:

N'S MIND: ASPLODE

BREE'S MIND: ASPLODE

YOUR MIND: ASPLODE

ME: MWAHAHAHAH!

See you next update!

Oh, and yeah. Eve, the Archeopteryx expy, is now addicted to cotton candy.

Did I do the kiss well? I hope I did. I...I've never kissed anyone, so I don't exactly have a lot of experience or foreknowledge to go on...


	15. Sometimes It Seems As If I'm Being Used

Oh, wow, thanks everyone! I guess I did do a good job on the last chapter. :)

And why am I updating at 12:30 AM (Half an hour past midnight) on Saturday? Because I couldn't leave myself hanging either! Anywho! Please, please read, review (if you want) and enjoy!

* * *

N was a foot taller than Bree, but he felt as if she towered over him as the young man shrank into himself.

"N." Her voice was flat, frighteningly so. Her eyes had dulled too, inscrutable under the wide brim of her cap. "What are these two Plasma goons doing here, and why did they call you Lord?"

"I..." He gazed imploringly into Bree's eyes, begging her to understand. As he spoke, the words that fell from his lips tingled, each syllable reminding him of the...The _kiss_ that they had shared just moments before. Of the nameless burning desire that was now quenched by chill clenching dread.

"I should have told you before," N practically squeaked, "I'm Team Plasma's King."

Her shoulders went slack. Her face went even more blank, if that was even possible. "What?"

N closed his eyes, shouted-blurted-at the top of his lungs, even faster than his normally rapid pace, in some attempt to just rip off the metaphorical band-aid and let it bleed. "I'm Team Plasma's King! And Fa-Ghetsis asked me to help him free all the hurt pokemon and that's what I'm gonna do! How many pokemon are there in the world, and how many of them are being hurt by meanie humans? I'm Team Plasma's King! A King! A good King who doesn't like meanie humans! And I wanna help the pokemon and those grunts behind you are my soldiers and I don't want them to hurt you so they should _go away right now so Bree and I can do this ourselves!_"

The grunts fled. Bree continued to stare at a hyperventilating N with a fractured face. He knew the look that bubbled beneath it, shock slowly being replaced by betrayal. He'd seen the aftereffects far too many times on pokemon. He held up his spidery hands, the words tumbling over each other as he explained further, tried to get back onto the solid footing of conviction that he had stood upon his entire life.

"Bree, the future I envision, it's one of perfection, where pokemon can be perfect and never ever hurt! Please, you're a good person, you're nice to pokemon, I'm sure you understand! And the gym leaders-look at them! I just fought Elesa and, and..." He trailed off. He looked down. He spoke in almost a whisper. "...Her pokemon adore her. Her two Emolga, she named them Peanut Butter and Jelly? ...They absolutely adored her. They called her...During the gym battle, even after my pokemon defeated them, they called her Mommy." He looked at Bree again, grey-green eyes flashing with an unidentifiable yet powerful emotion. "How could she betray their trust like that? They call her Mommy and she forces them to fight! Parents should never turn their kids into weapons! She betrayed them!"

N released his Sandile, who stared down a just-released Kazumi; the Dewott's shell blades drawn, her body quivering in rage. "Bree," N continued, "You...You understand my thoughts, right?"

Her voice was cracked, warped with anger, hurt, and betrayal. "Of course I understand, N." Without a word, without a single command, Kazumi lept onto the Sandile, knocking the ground-type unconscious with two well-aimed swipes. Bree continued, shouting over her pokemon's cries. "I understand completely!"

He recalled Sandile, replacing it with a twitchy-looking Scraggy. "Bree, I-"

"YOU LITTLE-"

-Eve squawked at N before swooping down off of Bree's shoulder onto Scraggy. Shaking off the kick to her chest, she hurled detritus at the lizard until he collapsed-

"-LYING-"

-Kaylee lept onto Sigilyph as if trying to catch a frisbee, dragging the pokemon to the ground-

"-PIECE OF SHIT!"

-After knocking out the Darumaka, the son of N's old Darmanitan, Simon did something that was quite uncharacteristic for the normally lax mole: He hurled himself at N, claws digging at bony shoulders and thin shirt, screaming furiously at the boy king.

Other than shielding his necklace from the raging Drilbur, N did nothing to deter him. The whole battle, N's shoulders were slack, his head hung low, the wide black brim and shaggy green bangs obscuring his face and eyes. The whole battle, the only thing Bree heard him say was a whispered, disbelieving, "Your pokemon look happy."

"Of course they are!" Shaking, speaking with a ragged voice, Bree withdrew Simon and just stood there, staring N down. "I take care of them! I love them, and they love me!" Dammit, why wasn't she getting through to him? "And most people do too! Why can't you see it?"

"Bree, please! Of all people, I thought you would understand! I need to save the pokemon, I need to save my friends! And to do that-" He stepped forward, placed his hands on her shoulders, smiled at her though she could tell that he was barely holding it together, "-I'll defeat the Champion and become unbeatable, unlike any other!"

Bree stepped back, face contorted, hand held up in preparation for a slap. N flinched, cringed, closed his eyes, awaiting the blow.

It never came. Cautiously, he opened one eye. Turned to look at the girl.

Bree's hand dropped, dangling and limp by her side. Her face had taken on that curious blankness again, but her voice was choked with withheld tears.

"Goodbye, N."

She turned on her heel and walked away. N stood rigid, stunned, with nothing but the firmness of his convictions and the memory of her lips. His chest...His heart...It was like when he first met the hurt pokemon, different, but still awful. His heart...Something was clawing at it, ripping it apart.

Why couldn't she have hit him? It would have been...Better. But how? How was it possible that he would have preferred her screaming, the rain of her physical blows to _this?_

"Bree!" he shouted after her, almost goading, desperate for some sort of reaction. "Bree White! Didn't you hear me? I'm going to become the new Champion! And then I'm going to make all the trainers in the world free their pokemon! Just try and stop me!"

For a brief moment, he saw her flowing brown hair and black vest stop, stiffen. Then she was swept away in the crowd, out of sight, gone.

N stared hopelessly at the empty space for what felt like centuries. He fell to the floor, knees splayed, fists repeatedly slamming against the concrete while a horrible keening noise tore its way out of him.

N didn't stop until he was blue in the face and all the air had long since left his lungs.

* * *

His glasses askew, his navy jacket sliding down his left shoulder Cheren, panting heavily, supported himself on the trunk of a nearby tree. Bianca lay beside him, or, slightly more accurately, beneath him, flopped spread-eagled on the grassy field. Beret apparently forgotten in a corner of the park, bright blond hair entangled with mint green grass, Bianca looked up at the sky, a goofy grin on her face.

With a flick of his thumbs, Cheren pushed his glasses back into position. "That was a good practice," he said.

Bianca laughed as she sat up and smoothed her strewn hair. "I'll say, I never knew you were so agile!"

He leaned against a tree while she searched for her beret. "Well, when your friend decides to have her pokemon do some target practice, and you're the target..."

She pressed the lime green beret to her chest, shoulders shaking in laughter. "Come on, Cheren, it was funny! Besides, I think Marina and Corn enjoyed it too-did you guys?" she asked to the Panpour and Pansage sitting together under a nearby tree. Corn flashed Bianca a thumbs-up, then returned to the oran berry they shared.

"Hey, Cheren," Bianca said, turning to the bespectacled boy, "How do you think Bree's doing?"

Cheren sat down, folded his arms, stared at the grass with a slight frown. "I don't know," he finally said.

Bianca sat down next to her friend. "Aww, cheer up Cheren! Bree's gonna be just fine, I know it."

"I know Bree's tough, but...I don't know. Something is definitely off about that N person, but I can't quite place it..." He shook his head. "I don't like it."

"Come on," she assured Cheren as they walked out of the park, down the crowded streets. "It'll be fine. I mean, if anything goes wrong, then she's got her pokemon and so do-"

A flock of Pidove flew overhead, and something soft went plop in Bianca's hair. She stood stock still, her face ashen. "Did...Did a Pidove just use my head for a toilet?"

Cheren nodded slowly. After a horrified moment of silence, Bianca started to scream.

"Aaaugh! Eww! Eww-eww-eww! Oh, gross!" Desperate, she dug through her bag for soap, hand sanitizer, anything.

"Bianca, Bianca! Calm down and come with me." He took his friend, who was still freaking out, by the hand and led her back into the bustling streets of Nimbasa, into a little pizza parlor. Without a word, Cheren led the two of them into the bathroom and closed the door. The coat came off, carefully placed on a hook; the sleeves went up. Cheren sighed. This could get messy.

"Bend over," he said, almost commanded.

"W-What?"

Cheren turned on the sink, pumped several squirts of soap into his hands. "Bend over, Bianca. I'm going to wash your hair."

She sniffled. "Oh, okay. Thanks." Bianca leaned over, her head level with his chest.

With deliberate movements, Cheren washed his clumsy friend's hair in the sink, careful not to dirty either of them or their clothes. Bianca, however, was extremely ticklish; she giggled and squirmed under the cold running water and Cheren's massaging fingertips. Furthermore, Cheren didn't realize that the liquid soap was the kind that foamed up in contact with water until he had already plunged his hands under the faucet; some of it spattered on the front of his shirt and pants. Ripping out a couple of brown paper towels from the nearby dispenser, he pulled out the soap-and-Pidove-droppings mixture from Bianca's hair while explaining, "The soap's going to make your hair a bit stiff, but a long shower later tonight should take care of that; I just didn't want to see you walking around Nimbasa like tha-"

The door clicked open. The hand that opened the door fell to its owner's side. The man who opened the door looked on, dumbstruck, at the blond-haired girl bending over next to the black-haired man, the front of his shirt and pants damp, his hands busy pressing a wet paper towel into the girl's hair.

From Bianca, horrified silence. From Cheren, a loud swallow and a humiliated, "...Okay, I know that this looks bad, but trust me when I say that there is a perfectly legitimate reason for this..."

One extremely awkward and humiliating conversation later, ending with the two teenagers being banned from the pizzeria for life, Cheren was actually grateful for the shrill ringing of his XTransceiver.

Until he answered it, and was greeted by the tear-streaked face of a hysterical Bree, hair all out of place and vest askew.

"Bree!" he screamed into the device, on the middle of the street, completely shutting out the people around him. Bianca leaned over his shoulder, giving her friend a nervous little wave. "Bree, where are you? Are you okay? What happened?"

It took several minutes of crying and wheezing for Bree to collect herself. "I...I...N...We...He..."

"Bree! Where are you, where's N, and are you okay?"

Another round of sobbing. "We were on the Ferris wheel, and...And afterward I...I kissed him, and..."

"You kissed him?" Bianca asked over his shoulder. "Then why are you so upset?"

"Because then...Team Plasma..."

"Your pokemon got stolen? Where are your pokemon right now?"

"They're here, they're fine, but...But...N...He, that...That little lying piece of shit!" Bree then broke down into another incoherent wail.

At all the possible implications of that, none of them good, Cheren felt his insides turn to ice. He practically roared into the XTransceiver, "Bree! Stay there, we'll be there as soon as we can!" As an afterthought, one that he really, really hoped was unnecessary: "And don't change your clothes or shower!"

The XTranceiver was turned off with a click. Two clicks later, Julian and Nekoya stood on either side of a furious Cheren, ready to pounce.

"C-Cheren? What's going on? Is Bree okay?"

"That little...He...I...Gwah! FUCK!" He punched the side of a building in frustration, completely unconcerned with the scratches that now marred his knuckles. "I knew, I KNEW that N was fishy, I KNEW that there was something wrong with him, and I still, I-FUCK!" His breathing became ragged, his voice cracked with the strain of holding back tears.

"Cheren?" A soft hand on his shaking shoulders. "It's...It's gonna be okay."

He sighed. "I hope I'm wrong. I really, really hope I'm wrong." Cheren looked back at Bianca; the girl's soft, normally amiable face was now fixed in grim determination.

"River," she called out as she released her Herdier, "Track!"

* * *

Three sets of sunken yellow eyes and a lone crimson one gazed impassively at the naked boy whimpering in the bathtub. They had watched N for some time, watched in silence as they boy king curled up around himself, thin arms wrapped around bony calves, youthful face buried in knobbly knees. The waist-high water he sat in was ice cold; Epsilon knew this because he had just dipped a finger into it a moment before.

"Why," he finally asked, "Are you bathing in icy water, and so little of it?"

N muttered something unintelligible into his legs. Ghetsis, impatient and annoyed, snapped his fingers in front of the youth's face.

"Speak up, boy. A prince must always speak clearly and be heard clearly."

"I...Anthy, years ago, when I was playing with Darmanitan and he accidentally hit me too hard and I got a bruise and it swelled up, she put an ice pack on it and it was cold and the cold made the swelling go away..."

Ghetsis leaned back, nodded. "I see." He offered no further comment.

Theta leaned back on the cracked toilet, busied herself by slicing up squares of rough toilet paper as she said, "What commoner has made our King so upset?"

N looked at Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad. So faithful, so helpful, just like his pokemon. They'd never betray him. Good advisers for a good king. He trailed his fingers in the water while he spoke. "She...I've seen the girl, Bree, before. Her pokemon...I can't believe it either. Her pokemon like her. They actually like her."

He looked back down. "Of all people...I rather...I suppose I respect and like her too. Of all people, I want her to understand. I wanted her to join Team Plasma; she'd be sympathetic to our cause. And so I wanted to tell her on the Ferris wheel. And when I did..."

"Let me guess," Ghetsis said, "She beat you like trainers beat their pokemon."

"No! And that's it! She...She just shouted at me, and then walked away. It was..." N curled up even more tightly, knees pressing into his chest. "It was even worse than if she had hit me."

"N," Ghetsis finally said, "Do you remember the stories that Anthea and Concordia would tell you? Of princes and princesses and evil witches?" Only when N nodded his green head did the Sage of Plasma continue. "This Bree girl...She is a witch. A temptress, sowing doubt into your heart. Look at me, King N. You have a goal, a plan, a dream. All your life you have been working towards this. And this Bree girl...She is going to destroy your dream. She will take your goal, take your crown, and ruin it." N whispered a denial. "You know it's true, King N. You must not allow yourself to fall prey to her charms."

The young man was silent, staring at the mildewed wall of the bathroom, lips moving in silence as he adjusted the equations in his head. "I understand, Sage Ghetsis," he finally said. "I need to free the pokemon. I've...I've been distracted is all. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Ghetsis leaned over, brushed back a lock of wet green hair that fell over N's face. He inhaled sharply at this, bony shoulders stiffening. Behind Ghetsis, the Shadow Triad shared an inscrutable look.

"We will go now," Ghetsis said as he turned to leave. "Zero and Theta have left your weekly supply of money and clothing on the bed. I trust that you will make the right decisions."

But before he could close the bathroom door, Ghetsis heard his young prince call out. "Fa-Ghetsis!" He heard the tentative drumming of fingertips on the rim of the tub. "I...After, once I've freed all the hurt pokemon, can...Can you take me on the carousel in Nimbasa? Please?"

Ghetsis turned around, actually regarded N with a smile. "N, my young prince, why would I do that? Do you know what you ride on in the carousel? Pokemon. What appears to be an innocent form of amusement is nothing more than a tool of indoctrination, to teach children from the youngest age that the rightful place of pokemon is beneath them."

N hung his head in embarrassment and shame. "I...I never..."

"Of course you didn't. You're pure. Which is why you will be the chosen hero." With that, Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad left N to his own devices in the bathtub, left the boy king to reaffirm his beliefs.

Outside, Zero gagged in disgust. "Sometimes I wish my sense of smell was as dull as yours, Leader. The stench of mating in that...Place. It was almost overwhelming."

"It was on N too," Theta added. Ghetsis whirled around at that, alarm flashing in his blood-red eye. "Not like that!" she quickly amended. "Well, not quite..."

Zero pushed her aside, confident in his ability to more accurately relay information without disturbing Leader. "There were traces of similar smells on N, fading but definitely noticeable. The smell of arousal, the scent of that girl..." The hidden blade twitched out of its sheath as he remembered that smell. Even the remnants were delicious.

Oh, Zero hoped that Leader would let him be the one to cut the girl's throat.

"So that's what he meant by-" Ghetsis couldn't help but laugh, a sharp barking cackle. "He's got a hard-on for the girl? That's rich!"

"That is exactly it, Leader," Zero said while Theta attempted to stop Epsilon from preying on an alley Purrloin. "Our "hero" is in heat."

Theta, Epsilon in tow, felt the need to intervene. "That could be a problem. Unnecessary distractions, especially ones so strong..."

"Exactly," Ghetsis said as they walked down the nearly-abandoned streets, the three mysterious followers surprisingly quick despite their oddly-formed legs. "We need to figure out some way to quell such...Desires."

Epsilon, surprisingly enough, was the first to come up with an idea. "Hormone-altering medications? Or if that doesn't work, surgical sterilization? After all, the three of us are sterile, and we are completely unaffected by such base urges."

Ghetsis groaned to himself. "That would work, if I had done it eight or ten years ago. As it is, I'm no doctor, and I don't know what the testosterone that has already worked its way through him would do. Besides, a surgical remedy would be easily noticed. And I don't know if a recognized "hero" can be physically incomplete."

"Well then," Theta chimed in, "What if were were to psychologically suppress it? Being that he is completely unaware of these...Desires, as you call them, we could exploit this to our advantage." She rubbed her chin in thought, careful not to stab herself by mistake. Behind her, a homeless man attempted to elicit some change from a concentrating Zero; the leader of the Shadow Triad broke his hand without looking down. "I have read some psychology texts in my spare time. It appears that forced mating dissuades the recipient from attempting or pursuing the act again for quite some time; certainly long enough for our Plan to work."

The Sage of Plasma stopped. "That...Would work. It would certainly extinguish any burgeoning sexual desires, and quite possibly also have the added benefit of repelling any sexual thoughts of that girl from his mind entirely." Theta smiled faintly, proud of having given Leader such a good idea, when Leader frowned and shook his head, the green mane flowing out around him.

"No, on second thought that wouldn't work. The only people I could trust to administer the...Intervention, other than myself of course, would be the three of you. But if we were to do this ourselves, N might project the negative emotions onto us, making him and the Plan unstable...I'm sorry, Theta. It's an excellent plan, but has far too many risks."

"Oh. Forgive me, Leader."

"It's okay." Ghetsis smirked. "Besides, I believe that our king has been shamed enough on his own. I know him well; if anything, he'll be even more adamant and resolute now than he was before."

Zero bowed. "So what would you have us do, Leader?"

"My beloved Shadow Triad, I have an extremely important task for you." After ascertaining that the street was devoid of people, Ghetsis beckoned the three closer. "I want you to observe and evaluate Bree, and the two companions that travel with her. Make sure that you are not spotted, and do not disturb any of them; this is of the utmost importance. You are merely to observe and evaluate. Do you understand?" Once the Shadow Triad nodded as one, he continued, "I want you to report your findings to me and N. Tell us the same information; N must believe that you serve him first and foremost. Do you understand your task?"

Zero saluted; Theta and Epsilon bowed low. "We live to serve, Leader." And with that, they vanished, leaving Ghetsis alone in the middle of the filthy, run-down street. The flickering light that reflected off the crimson scouter and lines in his face made the Plasma Sage seem truly frightening.

Back at the Notell Motel, if N had looked out the window, he would have seen a lone figure flying through the air on the back of a large, monstrous pokemon with six thin membranous wings. But instead he was lying, still unclothed, on the almost absurdly comfortable bed, trying to fill the little hole that Bree had neatly dug in his convictions, unsteadying his ground.

* * *

A/N: Did you enjoy? I hope you enjoyed...

Yeah, now we're starting to see the butterfly effect here, as one of my reviewers so aptly put it.

The scene with Cheren and Bianca is inspired by something that happened with me and my friend last week; as I put it: "So yesterday I dragged my best friend into a bathroom in the Village, slammed the door, and told him to bend over...So I could wash his hair, which a bird had decided to use as a toilet. "

Concerning the last scene: Creeped out? I'm glad if you were, because that was my intention. Why, yes, Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad just seriously considered chemically castrating/actually castrating/raping N to completely destroy his budding libido, because that might screw up The Plan.

I don't think that Ghetsis sexually abused N. But, I think that it would be completely in character for him to do so; it's just that **he never deemed it necessary.** Complete Monster Y/Y? (As someone put it on TvTropes, Ghetsis' antics strap him to the back of a Garchomp for a flight over the Moral Event Horizon; I say that we make it Cynthia's Garchomp just so that the dragon can eat him afterwards.)

(Also, yeah, N's still naked at the end even though he finished his bath. Personally, I think that considering his, ah, "upbringing," N doesn't have as much of a nudity taboo as most people do.)


	16. Father, Did It Need To Be So High?

Hey, everyone! Thank you so so much for the reviews. And wow, we're almost at 200. O_O

I'm sorry that this took so long. I had two tests and a paper to do this week. Also...This chapter isn't as nice as the previous ones in my eyes. Sorry. I've been wrestling with it, a lot, and I just can't be happy with it.

But I hope that you like it a little bit...

* * *

"That's where he's staying." Cheren walked purposefully back to Bianca, Nekoya slipping off the Plasma grunt to follow his trainer. He looked over the address, face falling further into a frown.

"What?" Bianca leaned over her friend's shoulder. As she read the address that Cheren had written down, her face fell as well. "Uh...That's by the trainyard, right? ...Isn't it kinda sketchy there?"

Cheren nodded. With a sudden movement, he crumpled the paper in a tightly closed fist. "That sick fuck...Is he actually trying to make me want to kill him further? Let's go."

But by the time they got a few blocks away from the motel, by the time the streets became devoid of people and filled with broken beer bottles, cracked needles, used condoms, and other detritus, Cheren stopped dead under a rusting overpass.

"I...Uh..."

"What?" Bianca, seemingly oblivious to the signs of danger that blared from every direction around them, turned back to her friend. "Don't tell me you're scared!"

"Well, I, uh...Look around you!" He flailed at the decrepit projects, the rusted chain-link fence around the trainyard, the setting sun turning the deserted street dark, the lack of lamplights eerily contrasting with the neon of central Nimbasa in the distance, as if the two friends were transported to an alien planet. "We do not look like we belong here. Especially you, Bianca. No offense, but you're...scatterbrained. I don't want you getting hurt on my watch too..."

"We're obviously tourists, and I'm kinda spacey, and that makes it easy for some shady guy to jump us..." She paced back and forth as she spoke, fingers pressed to her lips in thought. After a few moments, during which Cheren and Nekoya nervously scanned the lengthening shadows for any other people, Bianca clapped her hands in excitement. "I've got it!"

Bianca hopped a couple steps away from Cheren, kicking a can into the street as she held out her hands, explaining her idea. "Okay, so we need to look like we're not tourists? That's easy, it's just like acting!"

Cheren massaged the bridge of his nose, muttering, "Bianca, I don't think that will work-"

The change was almost like magic. Then again, good acting was a kind of magic in and of itself. Thinking about it, Cheren could see the gradual shift as his friend took on an entirely new persona. Her steps became bolder, less timid; her hips and waist took on a confident, almost cocky, swagger as she walked. Her olive eyes hardened, and a faint smirk replaced her open smile; when she spoke it was with the roughness of a Nacrene accent which she had possessed to some extent ten years ago upon moving to Nuvema but had long since lost.

In just a few minutes, Bianca Noir had completely transformed from an effervescent, slightly ditsy innocent girl into an apparent veteran of the "wrong side of the tracks," as his mother would put it.

...It was actually somewhat hot.

...Why was he thinking of that in the context of his best friend?

"Hey, snap out of it!" Fingers clicked under the bridge of Cheren's glasses, snapping the teenager out his internal squabble. "Come on, Cheren, let's go. Keep Nekoya out; I don't know how well this will work."

They had barely walked for five minutes, in the center of the deserted street while Nekoya slunk beside them in the shadows and Joralemon kept watch overhead, as car alarms and police sirens sounded faintly in the distance, when Bianca heard a strange man's voice behind her. She turned around to see an older man with a more-than-slightly-devious grin approach Cheren, who was quite wisely backing away with his hands held up in defense.

In an extremely heavy accent, Bianca heard the man say, "You want massage?"

Cheren took a cautious step towards his friend, then another. "Uh, no...No thank you. I'm good..."

The man grinned, clasped his hands together. "Pretty girl, she give you massage!" Cheren, steadily growing redder, stepped backward; the man stepped towards him, unperturbed. "She give you happy massage!"

Bianca sighed to herself. Even she could tell that you had to be more forceful when dealing with someone like this. _Stay in character, stay in character_ raced through her head as she marched towards Cheren and the solicitor. "Hey, fuck you!" she shouted to the man as she grabbed her friend, dragging the young man into her arms. "Back off, he's mine!" As if to accentuate her claim over Cheren, she smacked his rear, causing the young nerd to yelp and blush an even brighter shade.

The man ran off, footsteps echoing in the street. Cheren, on the other hand, glared at Bianca despite the pink that colored both his cheeks. "What was that about?"

"What?"

"You know! About..." He grimaced. "...Smacking me."

She stuck out her tongue as they walked. "Aww, you didn't like it?"

"I, uh," he spluttered ineffectually for several moments, "I'm a guy; of course I liked it. Just...Not like that." Rubbing the base of his neck with the palm of his hand, Cheren decided to make a very thorough inspection of the concrete sidewalk.

Bianca smiled, turning it into a grunt upon remembering to stay in character. "Oh, okay then...And Cheren?"

"Hm?"

Headlights from a passing car illuminated the two for a brief moment, then vanished as the vehicle traveled down the road. "I dunno what a "happy massage" is, but it's probably something perverted, so don't think I'm about to give you one."

If Cheren had been drinking something, he would have spewed it all over the street. Instead, he choked on the air he was breathing, his face flaring red again.

Dammit, and he had just gotten any and all tangentially related thoughts out of his head too.

* * *

They looked up at the outside of the run-down motel, the neon sign zapping and flickering in and out of existence. Bianca, with a sigh of relief, dropped the character she had been struggling to maintain, the tough-girl persona washing away like dirt in the rain.

The Notell Motell, just from the outside, made Cheren want to walk away and keep walking. To say the building should have been condemned a decade ago was a massive understatement. The brick wall was crumbling, the fire escape rusting and about to snap. The windows...

"...The windows are yellow," Bianca said. "Window's aren't supposed to be yellow."

"Bianca," Cheren said slowly, "I think N is the biggest..."

"Creeper?"

"Creeper, as you put it, in existence." He opened the door. "Let's go."

The bored man at the front desk, leafing through a magazine with his head cradled in his hand, looked up at the two glowering teenagers approaching the front desk. "Weeeell," he said with a lecherous grin, "May I...Help you?" He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. Bianca whimpered, hiding behind Cheren's lean frame to shield herself from the man's gaze.

Cheren glared at the perverted man, devoutly thankful that both hands were clearly visible on the desk, and held out a pokeball with a Servine sticker placed on top.

The man at the front desk paled, his outstretched finger visibly wilting.

"Yeah. We're looking for someone."

One room number later, Cheren and Bianca marched through the dilapidated motel, Bianca shielding her beret from questionable dripping liquid and old cobwebs.

"Room 112," he said, releasing Julian and Nekoya; their tails twitching in anticipation. "This is it." He rapped sharply on the door and waited.

N opened the door.

Cheren punched him in the face.

Cheren couldn't be considered bulky by any definition of the word, but N was scrawny-frail, to be honest-and the young trainer was fueled by adrenaline and rage. Hence the blow sent N sprawling onto the filthy floor; before he could get up the boy king found Cheren looming over him, fury etched on his features and a scuffed loafer firmly planted on N's bare chest.

The fury was replaced by blank incomprehension when _bare chest_ registered in Cheren's mind. His dark blue eyes scanned his bare chest and exposed torso, so pale as to be almost translucent; traveled along the line of dark green hair trailing down from N's navel, and there abruptly decided to get off the Visual Inspection Express.

"Why the hell are you naked?" Cheren roared. Before he could get a response, he turned back to Bianca and said, "Don't come in here, and don't look!"

Unfortunately, it was too late for Bianca. "It's okay," she said, "It's not like I don't know what it looks like!" Nevertheless, her face was beet red and she refused to lower her hands from her eyes, which were resolutely squeezed shut.

N stuttered, lip and limbs trembling. "W-Who are you?"

"Get. Dressed." N began to stood up when Julian snagged a pair of green-and-white boxers off of the hard, lumpy, filthy bed and flung them into N's face. Hastily, the young man pulled them on, followed by his pants and black undershirt. He reached for the white overshirt when Nekoya pounced, the large feline dragging him to the floor.

"Please," N pleaded, "What did I do? Why are you so upset with me? Liepard, how could you let this meanie boss you around so?" Nekoya hissed in his face; N paled. "L-Look, Liepard, I didn't do anything to Bree, I promise!"

Cheren's tone was harsh, merciless. "Sure you did. I ought to drag you to the police station myself! In fact-"

A soft hand touched Cheren's jacket. "Cheren," Bianca said, "Maybe we should ask Bree first?"

He looked down at N, who was busy trying to calm his erratic breathing, then asked Julian something, to which the Servine responded with a quick nod and a hiss.

"Sure," Cheren said, pulling out his black XTransceiver and pressing a few buttons.

Bree's face popped up on the screen, slightly puffy-eyed yet much neater than before. "Cheren? Where are you? And where's Bianca?"

"Bianca's right here," Cheren said as the aforementioned girl waved a greeting with a smile. "And so is that jerk N." Her moved the device over so Bree could see N, who was now kneeling next to a purring Liepard.

"Cheren? What are you doing with that lying jerk!" At the sound of Bree's voice, N curled up into a little ball. "Don't you know what he is?"

"That's why Bianca and I walked over here ready to beat him to a pulp!" He was much less certain now, continuing despite N's protestations, "I mean...What he did to you..."

"Wait..." Bree clapped a hand to her forehead with a groan. "No, Cheren, not like that! For crying out loud, he nearly had a heart attack when I kissed him! Oh jeez, not like...Look, he did nothing to me physically, okay?"

Cheren looked at his friend and N with wide eyes and a terrible dawning awareness. A pit in his gut that only grew worse when he heard Bree say, "N says he's Team Plasma's King!"

Cheren dropped the XTransceiver. The device landed next to the bed, facing N's bare feet, and clicked off from the impact. "...What."

"A king?"

"I told you! Please, I didn't...Bree...I'm the King of Team Plasma and I want to free pokemon from trainers who abuse them," N said, raising his voice over the hisses of Nekoya.

"Cheren," Bianca squeaked, "Did we get involved in something we shouldn't have?"

"I..." He looked down at the leader, the "king" of Team Plasma, who somehow seemed to be holding a conversation with an increasingly impatient Julian.

N stood up, drawing himself to his full height; he was nearly half a foot taller than Cheren; the bespectacled trainer noticed with apprehension. "You see? I'm the king; I can do what I want! And you went and hit me!"

Fear. That's what Cheren was feeling. Fear. And guilt. He had gotten himself into this situation. He had gotten his pokemon into this situation. He had gotten Bianca into this situation. And it was all. His. Fault.

He withdrew his pokemon, took Bianca by the hand, edged toward the door. N looked at them framed by the stained window shades, the sleeping trains and night sky. "I should punish you for insulting the king," he said with a tremor in his voice, fighting back the urge to scream and stomp and kick, "But for some reason your pokemon like you, and want me to treat you with respect."

A tumult of emotions churned in N; he knew that he had no hope of detangling them quickly. _What would Father do?_ N swallowed, then said, "Because your pokemon want me to respect you, I will...Forgive your transgression...But...I want you to apologize, and call me...Lord N."

Cheren opened his mouth in protest when Bianca tugged on the sleeve of his jacket, looked up at him with wide pleading eyes. "Cheren, just...Please."

Furious, humiliated, Cheren bowed his head, exposing his bare neck. "Oh Lord N of infinite grace and bedfellow of pokemon, we humbly beg of you for your forgiveness and pardon of our sins," he spat.

N smiled, wide and genuine. "You see? That wasn't so hard. And don't worry, I know that you'll see that forcing pokemon to fight is cruel and wrong. You'll come around."

Cheren grabbed Bianca and ran out the door. N watched them go, turned around and stared out the window. He pulled the blanket and pillow off of the bed and laid them on the floor next to the window. True, the bed was absurdly comfortable, to the point where N thought he would suffocate in its softness, but he preferred sleeping on the floor. It was more...Natural.

He turned to inspect the cracked paint peeling off the radiator. Why had he just let that...Cheren person go? He was practically the worst of the worst, with his drive to push his pokemon to the brink of exhaustion for his own sake! (_And why was he so upset when thinking about him and Bree together?_)

But, despite that, what had Servine said?

_Coach Cheren is an excellent trainer. I must admit that he has been of great assistance to me._

...His pokemon respected him. And despite the fact that she was holding her pokemon back, preventing them from being perfect, he got feelings of love, the love that a child has for his parents, or ...friends(?), from Bianca's pokemon.

But Cheren and Bianca, they'd come around. They'd see that he and Team Plasma were right and they were wrong. Same with Bree.

...Maybe that was also why he let them go without liberating their pokemon. Because Bree would be even angrier with him. (_And oh, she was angry enough already please let her not be angry at him anymore please let her say that he's right and let her say that it's okay and let her hold me and press her mouth on mine in what she called a kiss like she did on the Ferris wheel because it felt so warm and so nice and so good...)_

As Cheren and Bianca ran back to the pokemon center, N drifted off to sleep, those last threads of thought, of a world with liberated pokemon and a Bree who didn't hate him, winding round and round in his mind.

* * *

"Cheren! Bianca!" Upon seeing her friends walk into their room-disheveled and jumpy but unharmed-Bree flung her arms around them, holding back tears as she buried her head between their shoulders. "When the XTransceiver went off, I thought..."

"Oh man, Bree, I'm sorry about that!" Taking out the device, Cheren ran his fingers along a dent that certainly wasn't there that morning. "Oh, what a bother."

"Yeah, at least you weren't told that the guy you went on a date with is the leader of Team Plasma AFTER you kissed him!"

"Okay, point well taken." Cheren sat on the couch, drumming his fingers on his knees. "Frankly, we got incredibly lucky here. I'm...Bree, Bianca, I'm so sorry. I was hasty and made a bad situation worse."

At this point Bianca embraced her two best friends. "Guys, don't worry," she said. "You'll be able to show N that people and pokemon deserve to be together. I know it!"

"But how? He's so...So adamant."

"And back in the motel, near the end of it, it seemed like he was about to throw a temper tantrum. Frankly, it was...Scary." Cheren refused to look either of his friends in the eye, so ashamed was he.

"Because," Bianca said as she leaned in a little, "Cheren, I know that you'll be the Champion and not N, so he won't be able to make us separated. And even if you don't become Champion, Bree will, so N and Team Plasma won't be able to either! And me...Well, I'm not nearly as strong as either of you guys, but," she continued over her friends' assurances that yes, Bianca was definitely strong, "Maybe I can help in a different way!" Leaping off the couch, Bianca ran towards the closet with a shouted, "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Bree and Cheren sat awkwardly on the couch. Giving her a sideways glance, Cheren opened his mouth to apologize again when Bree shut him up with a hug, saying, "It's okay, Cheren. No, really. I understand. And thank you for looking out for me. We'll beat Team Plasma and N and we'll do it together, all three of us."

Meanwhile, Bianca unzipped a bag and began merrily tossing clothing, potions, and electronics through the air, where they landed haphazardly on the floor. Recognizing several articles of clothing, Cheren sat up. "Hey," he protested as Bianca practically skipped back with his sleek silver laptop in her hands, "Why did you just go through my bag? And take my laptop?"

"Because my computer isn't big enough for all of us to see the screen as easily," she said, referring to a small pink notebook that she was able to successfully sneak out of her house on more than one occasion simply by hiding it in the hem of her skirt. "And don't worry, I'll put everything back!"

Cheren just sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "And I had everything ironed and sorted by color; what a bother. Okay, so what is it that you have in mind?"

"Simple!" She plopped down between Bree and Cheren on the couch and booted up his laptop. "It's something that Bree and I've done before when we're feeling down. Dramatic reading of bad fanfiction!"

That brought a grin to Bree's face, and a look of near-befuddlement to Cheren's. "Ooh, Cheren, you've never done this? Come on, this'll be perfect for you! Bianca, what should we start him off with?"

"Hm..." Bianca eventually smirked. Cheren didn't like that smirk. "How about one of the M-rated ones with bad yaoi and mpreg!"

The two girls burst out laughing at Cheren's squawk of protest and mental revulsion. "Or not," she amended. "How about...My Immortal?"

"...Nah," Bree grinned. "Too long. Besides, it's all kinda downhill from there, you know? How about a bunch of one-shots? And don't worry, Cheren, we'll make sure not to offend your poor brain too much," she teased, ruffling his jet-black hair.

Several hours consisting of dramatically deepened voices, strangled sounds of disgust, and howls of laughter later, it was far past midnight and Bianca had actually nodded off on the keyboard, adding a line of r's to the url at the top of the Shinyvulpix browser. Their pokemon had long since fallen asleep, curled up in little groups of three or four. At that point, the three trainers figured that it was time to pack it in, and aim for the Bolt Badge in the morning-now, time was of the essence.

Changed into their pajamas (Bree in ratty T-shirt and sweatpants, Cheren in plaid-print flannel, and Bianca in yellow cotton with a repeating pattern of Lillipups and pink polka-dots), all three, now in a much better mood, curled up and went to sleep.

Now, unconsciously, no longer suppressed, the events of the day played themselves out in eerily surreal manner behind Bree's closed eyelids, forcibly inserting themselves into an early memory for context.

_Back in the hotel where she and mom had stayed before moving, all marble walls and shining polished floors. Back in the hotel, walking through, the halls, Eric by her side. The hall went on forever; she had been walking forever even though just before she was in the hotel daycare while her mom was working. _

_But now mom wasn't working anymore and so Bree, maybe because her Blitzle was back alive by her side instead of dead from cancer, was walking back to the hotel room by herself. Such a big girl (even though she looked down and she was no older than six again), walking by herself. _

_And she opened the door and a child stared at her._

_Not a child. The proportions were all wrong, the head was too small. Adult shrunk down to child size, staring with flat dead eyes. Wrong. All wrong. _

_(Didn't know until later, but in the corner of her eyes, half-turned away from the not-a-child, his hair was green)_

_And he said, in two different tones at once, "He's hurt, he's hurt. They're all hurt-hurt-hurt who would do this?"_

_She looked back at Eric, saw the painfully bowed legs and bruises on the Blitzle's neck that weren't there a moment ago. That were always there. _

_Now the boy held a wounded Zorua in his hands. Now the boy started to cry. _

_And big shadows, big robed looming shadows with reflective white instead of eyes and shiny blue on their chests, they took Eric away from her._

_They took Eric, the little zebra whinnying in panic, away from Bree and led the girl into a little dark room that was hot and dank and way too cramped and left her there all alone. _

* * *

A/N: Yeah. That chapter sucked, right? *Sigh*

Anywho, because I've got vacation next week, I'm going to try to update twice. I've got to study for APs and stuff though, so no guarantees. Bolt Badge Attempt in the next chapter! (Whether or not Bree gets it...Well, read on!)

About the trainyard and that whole not-so-nice area: It's not just the subways that run through New York City. There's also Amtrak, LIRR (Long Island Railroad), NJ Transit (New Jersey Transit), and MetroNorth. Anville Town, in my headcanon, houses the subways. The trainyard here is based off of West Side Yard, which services the trains that come out of Penn Station: LIRR, and I _think_ Amtrak and NJ Transit, but I need to ask my friend. (EDIT: He says that it's all good!) The area around West Side Yard is a bit grungier than most of the rest of Midtown (Nimbasa); especially Times Square, which is a few blocks away. **I deliberately played up the sketchiness of the area in this chapter**, but it's still not somewhere I'd be comfortable walking at dark, or if I can help it. Especially alone. Especially since I don't have an attack Liepard ready to pull a sneak attack on anyone who tries to jump me.

And yes, Bianca. What the guy was soliciting Cheren for was **very** perverted. And quite possibly illegal (sex trafficking and all that). A similar (read: Almost the same except that he was by himself and brushed off the guy by himself) situation happened with my friend some time back. :P


	17. No Time For Losers

Hey guys! Thank you for all the reviews!

Sorry, I'd have put this up earlier but my internet got cut because my brother threw a temper tantrum. You better hope that you don't see N loose control of his temper, because I've seen manchildren throw temper tantrums, and it is **not** a pretty thing.

Anywho, blah blah this chapter sucks but I hope you like it anyway blah blah blah please read and review blah blah enjoy! Blah.

* * *

Eve made it halfway to the next tree in the park when a pair of tan paws collided with her body, sending the little ancient bird crashing to the ground.

Kaylee licked her face. The Herdier barked happily at Bree, seeking approval.

"Good work, Kaylee. A few more rounds and you should be able to chase after those Emolga with no problem! And Eve, you're getting better at gliding too. Kazumi, careful with Simon," Bree said to the otter behind her who was busy playing a fast-paced game of Whack-A-Drilbur with her shell blades.

In retrospect, when Cheren had come back from the gym with horror stories about the tag-team of lightning-quick Emolga instead of the Bolt Badge, Bree should have trained a bit more with her pokemon. But, of course, running off yesterday's adrenaline, she threw open the doors to the gym and plopped into the roller coaster without even strapping herself in.

Which is why she started off the battle with a black eye and busted lip from being chucked into the battle area from the roller coaster during a loop-de-loop, and it only got worse from there. By the time both Peanut Butter and Jelly, the two Emolga brothers that Elesa had raised from infancy, were taken down, an exhausted Kazumi was the only pokemon of Bree's left upright. When Elesa released her Zebstrika, a behemoth of a zebra, a snorting, whinnying pinnacle of what Eric could have been, Bree just waved the metaphorical white flag. One attack from that pokemon could have sent her Dewott flying right onto the tracks; Bree may have been rash, but even she had her limits and risking her pokemon was so far beyond them she'd need a compass to find her way back.

Hence why Bree and her four pokemon had spent the past two days in a grueling exercise regimen; the teenage trainer refused to exempt herself, as the just-filled prescription for her inhaler could attest. Running laps with Kaylee around the trees and over the rocks and through the brambles and under the thick branches, Bree would direct Eve to follow them by gliding from tree to tree. Meanwhile, Simon would follow, diving in and out of fertile soil while Kazumi would try to knock both the Drilbur and Archen out of their stride with blasts of water and hurled shell blades.

They had to get better. They had to get better and defeat N and show that creepy boy "king" who for some reason thought fairy tales were literally real that people and pokemon actually get along. The mood among Bree and her pokemon, among her friends too, had become much more serious overnight; Simon seemed to have the most apparent change. It had started when he had such an uncharacteristically violent reaction towards the reveal of N's identity. Now, the Drilbur had stepped up the pace of his training, often working himself to the brink of exhaustion.

Bree had to ask why the sudden shift. Then, after several minutes of dodging the question, Simon launched into a quick squeaking chatter that Bree could barely hear, much less understand. But she got the gist of it.

_Remember when we met in water-puddles-and-muddy-earth cavern? How I was? How I understood how to fight with human Trainer?_

And then she understood. Why Simon, though freshly caught, so easily understood her commands. Why Simon hated Team Plasma. Why she found Simon in Wellspring Cave, a place where it was nearly impossible to burrow stable tunnels, hunt for food. Why Simon was essentially starving when they first met.

She held him in her hands. "You weren't born in Wellspring Cave, were you?"

Simon shook his head. Kazumi, Kaylee, and Eve came over; Kaylee, whimpering, nuzzled Simon and licked his face.

"You...I'm not your...There was another trainer before me, wasn't there?"

Simon hesitated, then nodded.

"Oh, Simon..." Bree knelt on the grass, knees grinding into the dirt as she held him close. "I promise that I'll never let anyone take you away from me. Not Team Plasma, not N, not ever."

It wasn't meant just for Simon, and they all knew it.

* * *

Pressing the pointed tip of the Bolt Badge into the pad of his thumb, Cheren walked down the colloquially-named Fashion Avenue with Bianca. The excitable girl repeatedly dragged the aspiring champion into several studios, oohing and aahing at the different styles of clothing on display.

"Thank you for the focus sash," Cheren said to Bianca as Joralemon, now a Tranquill, pecked at a discarded bagel. "How did you find one anyway?"

"Oh, there was a giveaway early this morning, samples because Raimon Design was incorporating it into a dress. Ooh, do you think it'll look good on me?"

"Bianca, despite your misgivings, most clothing looks very flattering on you."

She blushed. "Aww, thanks Cheren. And hey," she punctuated the comment with a friendly punch, "You look good in anything yourself!"

Cheren smiled, a faint tinge of pink coloring his cheeks.

They walked along the street, frequently getting distracted by plagues commemorating famous designers, or dresses modeled after the shining scales of Serperior. Eventually, however, Cheren and Bianca came across Elesa, leaving a photo shoot, lighting up a cigarette. Completely unaware of the two young trainers, Elesa walked to the park, wisps of smoke curling around her.

"Isn't that where Bree's training?"

"Yep! Ooh, I hope she does well!"

"I wasn't aware that Elesa smokes. I really should train myself to be more observant."

Tossing the singed stub of the spent cigarette into a nearby trash can, Elesa noticed Bree training with her pokemon, actually subjecting herself to their attacks so as to teach them less traditional battle tactics. Upon seeing the Nimbasa gym leader, Kaylee sat up with a bark.

Bree turned around. "Oh, Elesa!" She stood up, her pokemon by her side. "Ready for a rematch?"

Elesa, sliding off her headphones (a gift from Arty, several years ago) so they hung around her slim neck, looked around at the park they were in, giving a meaningful glance to the brightly-colored trees, their rainbow leaves a sign of arriving autumn. "This isn't my gym," she said.

"So? A gym leader can accept a challenge anywhere, not just in the gym!" Kaylee yipped in anticipation; Kazumi honed her shells on the bark of a nearby tree. "Besides," Bree continued, "I think your pokemon are itching for a fight too."

Elesa looked over her shoulder to see Peanut Butter eying Eve, the Emolga's cheeks sparking and crackling in anticipation. "Wait, how did you..." she muttered to herself before turning back to Bree. "I have to ask: When I first met you, you didn't seem to be so...Adamant as you are now. Why the sudden change?"

"I..." Her hands closed into fists, then relaxed. "...Team Plasma. I've got to get better and get stronger. So I can be the champion, if possible, and so nobody will ever have to be forced to be separated."

Elesa nodded, the careworn headphones bobbing a bit. "Very well, then. Peanut Butter, let's go!" Sparks of electricity dancing their way over the Emolga's body, Peanut Butter launched himself at Eve.

"Eve! I know this is gonna suck, but we both know what you've got to do!" Eyes closed, the Archen attacked Peanut Butter with beating wings and flailing claws. Stray static paralyzed her wings, sending Eve spiraling to the ground; Peanut Butter finished her off with a charging electric attack before bouncing back to Elesa.

Bree picked up Eve, stroking her feathers and whispering words of support. The Archen squawked in approval; her sacrifice got the job done and they both knew it. The two Emolga brothers, Peanut Butter and Jelly, were known and feared for their hit-and-run tactics. Swiftly gliding through the air, dodging nearly every attack, they'd launch their static-coated bodies into their opponents before just as quickly returning to Elesa and switching places with the other brother. As it was nearly impossible to tell the two Emolga apart, any foe would be quickly worn down. Most times Elesa didn't even need to send out her Zebstrika during a gym match.

But this time, even though Eve had fainted from the effort, those tactics wouldn't work. Eve had clawed deep scratches into the thin membranes that allowed Peanut Butter to glide so effectively. They were nothing serious; a pokemon center could fix them up in just a few hours, but for the duration of this match Peanut Butter was effectively ground-bound.

And now for Step Two. As Elesa sent out Jelly, the smaller and faster of the two brothers, Bree called for Kaylee to take the field. "Kaylee," she called to her hyperactive Herdier as Jelly took flight, "Flying squirrel!"

It ended about as well as one would expect. By the time Kaylee held a struggling Jelly in her mouth, tail wagging as she seemingly ignored his repeated jolts of electricity, both trainers recalled their spent pokemon.

"Well, down to the wire...Steropa! Let's make this victory as properly dramatic as possible!"

Steropa pawed the ground, whinnying a challenge towards Kazumi, who shifted into a battle crouch. Bree smiled a bit, a cracked smile, as she saw the Zebstrika before her.

But no time for reminiscing. Now was the time for battle. And if there was one thing that Blitzle and Zebstrika hated, it was uneven, soggy terrain.

"Kazumi! Just like Eve! Do what you've got to do!" The Dewott nodded, then got to work. Ignoring the powerful electric-enhanced charges sent her way, knocking her flat on her back. Kazumi soaked the ground of the park until it was the consistency of marshland-a Tympole's playground, but a Zebstrika's nightmare.

Finally, shell blades drawn, Kazumi managed to score two scratches on Steropa's striped hide before the Zebstrika knocked her unconscious with a powerful jolt.

"Kazumi," she said as she recalled her Dewott, "You did fantastic. Utterly fantastic." Bree stood. "And now to finish this. Simon!"

Simon materialized on the ground, saw the muddy earth before him, took a deep breath, and steeled himself. He closed his eyes, and dove into the soggy ground.

Steropa charged towards Simon, but skidded to a stop when she saw the mud before her. Too viscous, too unstable to walk in, much less gallop. The Zebstrika looked back at Elesa with a worried glance. At her trainer's encouragement, Steropa cautiously trotted into the mud, careful to not let her hooves sink in too deep.

She barely made it three steps before Simon burst out of the ground and rammed himself into the Zebstrika's underbelly. Steropa toppled over from the impact, landing on the ground with a splat, unable to right herself in the unstable mud.

With a sigh but a smile, Elesa recalled her last pokemon. "Wow," she said as she approached the victorious trainer. "That was...That was absolutely amazing! Wowee!" The gym leader blushed a bit, embarrassed by her outburst of emotion. She placed the shining Bolt Badge into Bree's outstretched hands. "You absolutely deserved this," she said. "Non-traditional battle tactics, though I generally don't partake in them, are an extremely useful addition to any battle repitoire. Where did you learn that the Blitzle line hates running in mud?"

A faint smile. "I had a Blitzle once...Apparently, he saved my life. But..." Bree stared at her muddy boots. "I wish he were here on my journey with me..." If N saw Eric, saw how insanely close they had been (even more so than with Kazumi, simply because of the sheer number of years they had been together), surely that would have made him reconsider...

Elesa's cool blue eyes softened. She hugged Bree, saying, "I'm sure he'd be very proud of you."

"Thanks, Elesa."

* * *

"You did fantastic today," Bree said to her pokemon as she passed around cookies and bottles of lemonade-the real stuff too; none of that artificial flavored crap. "I mean, seriously. Absolutely amazing."

Leaving Nimbasa for Route Five and Driftveil, for they couldn't afford to goof off any longer, Bree and her pokemon (now fully healed, although Eve would have residue static shock for the rest of the day) jogged along the pavement when they caught the wafting scent of grilled burgers in the air. Bree looked down to see Kaylee's eyes grow huge and her mouth start to water.

"Okay, Kaylee. You guys definitely earned it." Bree walked up to a man grilling burgers; beside them were, under a grove of trees, benches full of people and pokemon of all ages, eating and chatting. Off to the side was a man playing his guitar while a few trainers battled with their pokemon. Having paid for her burgers and freshly-made pokemon food, Bree sat down, poured chili peppers onto her meal, and began to eat. Halfway through her meal, she felt a presence over her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Cheren in the middle of eating a burger, delicately dabbing a bit of mustard off the corner of his mouth.

Cheren sat down next to Bree, his Tranquill nesting in the trees above. "So you got the Bolt Badge?" Bree nodded, her mouth full of burger.

He finished off his meal and stood up, calling Joralemon to his shoulder with a snap of his fingers. "You've got a Bolt Badge, I've got a Bolt Badge; let's battle to see who's stronger!"

"Cheren," Bree indicated the chips on her plate, "Can I please finish my meal first?"

"...Oh, right." An awkward cough. "Sorry, I got ahead of myself." Waiting for his friend to finish her meal, Cheren impatiently tossed one of his pokeballs up and down. When she finally deposited the paper plate into a nearby trash can, he sighed and released Nekoya. "Come on," he said to his Liepard, "Let's show just how strong we are!"

"Simon, let's match him claw for claw!"

Dodging some swipes of the Liepard's claws, blocking others, and shrugging off the rest, Simon eventually exhausted the large cat with his agility, knocking out Nekoya before collapsing from exhaustion himself. Undaunted, Cheren sent out Joralemon. "Simon won't be able to reach him," he said as the Tranquill took flight.

"Doesn't need to," Bree retorted. "Go, Eve!"

Though Eve could only glide at this point, she was much more resistant to Joralemon's swooping attacks; the Archen countered with outspread wings and a pecking beak of her own. Finally, what Bree had been banking on happened-residue static from the earlier fight with Elesa coursed over her feathers and onto Joralemon's; the Tranquill, paralyzed, thudded to the ground. Eve, her feathers bedraggled, soon followed.

Biting back a curse, Cheren released Marina; Bree countered with Kazumi. Although evenly matched in mastery of the water element, his Panpour soon fell to Kazumi's relentless physical attacks, though not before landing a few blows of her own.

"It's not...Over yet," Cheren panted, releasing his last pokemon. Before Kazumi could attack, a veritable tornado of leaves trapped the Dewott, leaving her unable to attack. Recalling her pokemon before she got seriously injured, Bree called for Kaylee, who happily joined the fray. Fighting past slapping vines and sharp leaves, the Herdier charged full-force into Julian, eventually wrestling the Servine to the pavement.

With a shout of disappointment, Cheren recalled his last pokemon. "Why? Why can't I beat you?"

Scratching Kaylee's ears, Bree looked up from her kneeling position. "You beat me last time, Cheren."

"Yeah, but that was because Bianca was fighting you too! If it were one-on-one, you probably would have defeated me..."

"Cheren." Bree stood up, placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "Don't worry; you're a great trainer."

"Thanks, Bree." Looking over Bree's shoulder, Cheren frowned at two figures watching them by the grill. "Hey, who's there?"

Bree turned around to see Elesa walking towards them, followed by an older man with wild red hair. "See," she said to the older man, "These are two of the trainers I was talking about earlier."

Cheren folded his arms in skepticism at the older man. "And just who are you?"

"Who, me?" He looked at both young trainers with a warm, easy smile. "I'm Alder, Champion of the Unova League."

That got their attention rather quickly. "You?" Cheren asked in disbelief, "You're the champion? Then what are you doing goofing off in a place like this?"

Champion Alder regarded the young man with a cool glance. "You're quite a judgmental young man, aren't you," he said, "And for your information, I'm not goofing off. I'm on a voyage, exploring every corner of Unova. And who are you?"

"Um," Cheren stuttered, refusing to look the champion in the eye, "I'm, uh, Cheren. Cheren Shiro. From Nuvema." Bree snorted to herself; she couldn't help it. _Way to make a first impression, Scowlyspecs!_ "And I'm planning to become the next champion!"

"I'm Bree," she said, "Bree White. Also from Nuvema, though I wasn't born there, but that's not the point. My plans? Well," she rubbed the back of her neck. How to explain this? "It's...Complicated. Involves knocking sense into Team Plasma. And maybe become the champion too. But mostly be able to stay with my pokemon."

"Hm," Alder said with a smile, "Traveling with a goal in mind is a commendable thing." He turned to Cheren then, and continued, "But what do you plan to do after becoming the champion?"

"...Huh?" He actually sounded taken aback. "But...What else is there to do except become stronger?"

Alder rubbed his chin, calloused fingers grazing stubble. "Hm...Becoming stronger you say...Is that enough of a goal in and of itself?"

"Of course!" Cheren replied, firm and unwavering in his beliefs. "The strongest trainer-that's the champion. And I'm going to be the best of them all!"

"But is strength all there is to it? It's not that I'm trying to say your way of thinking is wrong, but...Look," he said, indicating two children over by the edge of the cookout. Laughing, playing with their Herdiers, they seemed entirely at ease. "I don't think they're planning to become stronger. They just want to enjoy themselves, enjoy their time with their pokemon. And maybe that's just as legitimate a goal as well? All I'm saying is to give it some thought."

At this point Elesa butted in. "I hate to interrupt your discourse," she said, "But if you want to head to Driftveil then you should hurry; the drawbridge will be lowering soon."

Cheren followed the Nimbasa gym leader, though not before saying, partly out loud and partly to himself, "The champion is the strongest of the strong! That's all there is to it."

There was the strangest look on Cheren's face when he ran off; it took Bree a moment to place it. Confusion. Uncertainty. The beginnings of doubt? Whatever it was, it was very odd to see such wavering expressions on her normally determined friend's face.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Bree said farewell to Alder and ran to catch up with Cheren and Elesa. The normally certain Cheren had taken a noticeable blow to his self-assured nature since the run-in with N a few days ago. Whatever was going on with her best friend, she really hoped that he would get better soon.

* * *

A/N: So yeah, that's the chapter. Sorry, no N or Team Plasma, but wait until the next update!

Steropa comes from Sterope, the Greek word for lightning and one of the horses who pulled Helios' chariot. Cheren...He's a good strategist, but unlike Bree or Bianca I don't see him being that great with improvisation, you know?

Sorry this chapter sucked, but please tell me if there was anything good about it otherwise!


	18. To Know I'm Not A Hopeless Case

Hey everyone! Yeah, this is a short chapter too, but I'm actually...*gasp* somewhat happy with it!

Anywho, updates for the next couple weeks will be random because I've got APs to study for, and that takes precedence over Alphabet Soup. Sorry!

Anyway, please enjoy this chapter, and please rate/review/all that junk. Thanks!

* * *

At the end of the route, Bree found Cheren leaning against a tree, deep in thought, while Elesa paced back and forth with suprising speed for someone wearing high heels.

"Dammit," she muttered, both to herself and to the two trainers accompanying her, "I know the ship schedule; the drawbridge should have been lowered fifteen minutes ago. What's taking Clay so long?" With a sigh, Elesa took out a razor-thin black cellphone, calling a number on the speed dial. "Hello? Is this Clay? ...No? Well, this is Elesa, the Nimbasa gym leader. Lower the drawbridge."

A pause; she frowned and held up a hand in frustration. "Look, I don't care what's going on. Are there any ships? No? Then lower the drawbridge. I've got a couple of trainers with me who want to challenge Clay. More importantly, I've got a TV gig to get to in an hour, and the producer really doesn't appreciate tardiness. So lower the drawbridge or the late charges are coming out of your paycheck."

Almost immediately, the rust-red arms of Driftveil's famed Charizard Drawbridge creaked downwards, the two wings connecting two of the three peninsulas of Unova.

Elesa regarded Bree and Cheren with a friendly nod. "Well," she said, "I'll see you around. Good luck against Clay; he takes some...Getting used to, but he's not a bad guy." With that, she walked over the drawbridge, leaving the two teenagers on the edge of Route 5.

Cheren sighed, looked Bree straight in the eye. "What I am is a trainer," he said, almost more to himself than to his friend, "I prove I'm right by getting stronger and winning in battle, even against the champion. You know me. Strength is everything." He looked out over the drawbridge, long enough that they couldn't see Driftveil on the other side. "Bianca said she'd be here in a few hours. Race you to the other side."

At the sound of an imaginary signal, heard only by them, the two childhood friends ran across the Charizard Drawbridge, shoes smacking against tempered steel as cars raced past them, separated by the concrete barrier.

Cheren reached the other side first, flushed face grinning at Bree as she followed him into the city. "I won," he said in an almost sing-song voice.

"No fair," Bree panted, leaning over with her hands on her knees. "You're taller than me and you don't have asthma."

When he didn't respond, Bree looked up to find a large man, chomping down on a cigar, glaring at a very intimidated Cheren and a now-nervous Bree.

Bree looked up, gave the man a nervous smile. "Uh, hi."

The man gave a noncommittal grunt. "Hrmph. So yer the trainers Elesa was talkin' about, huh. Name's Clay, and I'm the gym leader 'round here." Now that she thought about it, Clay seemed quite ticked off about something. Sure enough, he added to his curt introduction, "Don't be expecting no welcome now."

"Uh," Cheren stuttered, taking an involuntary step backwards, "Why would that be?"

"'Cause when the bridge got lowered, the Team Plasma guys we caught went and escaped in the ruckus!" The two trainers looked at each other; Cheren paled slightly and Bree groaned, fighting back a curse but failing horribly. "So if ya ask me," Clay added, "You guys are to blame for all this."

"Wait. Wait one moment." Cheren closed his eyes, sliding his glasses up the bridge of his nose in thought. "This is a tremendous bother, I know; and Bree and I both hate Team Plasma, but how does our crossing the bridge leave us to blame?"

Clay put away the cigar after flecking some ash onto the ground beneath his boots. "Say whatever ya want, but what's important is that ya showed up, and then Team Plasma escaped." He looked towards the sky, folded his arms, ignored Bree and Cheren's protests. "Yer both talented trainers, right? So you oughta go searching for Team Plasma with us."

"What?"

The Driftveil gym leader walked off, then stopped and turned around. "Know what," he said. "Fair's fair. I'll let ya challenge the gym afterwards. Now get going! Don't think that I'm slacking off either, ya hear me?" And with that, Clay ran off, walkie-talkie in hand, shouting orders to his workers over the device.

Exasperated, Cheren sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. "...But we would have gone after them anyway," he said eventually.

Bree had already confirmed his remark, releasing Kaylee from her pokeball and telling her to track down the hypocritical thieves. Cheren soon joined her, his Tranquill scouting from above and his Liepard on the prowl.

* * *

"Yay, you're going home!"

The employees and volunteers at the Driftveil Pokemon Shelter congratulated Lawrence, waving their goodbyes to the little Joltik in his hands. Lawrence, meanwhile, gently hugged the little insect, telling her how much fun she'd have in Striaton with his mother and all his other pokemon and the restaurant that doubled as a gym.

N watched impassively as Lawrence left with his newly adopted Joltik; his blank face was a mask for the turmoil of emotions within. Quelling the mess of contradictions that arose in him at the site of this place, this place that claimed to be for the benefit of pokemon (_and maybe, could it be so?) _but still put them in the hands of meanie trainers who would just hurt them more, the green-haired youth turned back to the air-conditioned container that housed a trembling Vanillish within.

A volunteer with dingy brown hair, bright blue eyes, and a Mienfoo in her arms bounced over, her near-shout of, "Hi, can I help you?" dragging N out of his brooding.

"This Vanillish," N, with tears in his eyes, indicated the terrified pokemon, "He's been hurt. Bad. Someone, they, they..." He couldn't finish; it hurt too much to simply think about and hear, let alone speak out loud.

"Some abusive asshole of a "trainer" who doesn't deserve the name tied him down, poured gasoline all over him, and tried to set him on fire." She spat out the words, clearly disgusted with the person, clearly wishing he was before her so she could wring his neck. The volunteer wasn't afraid to tell it like it was. N could...He could respect that.

"So what happened to the person who did this to Vanillish?" The ice-type pokemon glanced at the Mienfoo, then to N, warily approaching the boy king. Even now he could see the remnants of gasoline burns on the pokemon's face, impeding its ability to make ice crystals. Seeing this beautiful pokemon so harmed by the hands of humans...It made him want to cry.

If there was ever a reason for him and Team Plasma to liberate all pokemon, it was sitting right before him. He'd have to thank Ghetsis for showing him this place, this holding area for his wounded friends, for helping get him back on track. (_But something wasn't adding up in the shelter; some piece of the equation was out of place..._)

"The trainer was arrested for and convicted of pokemon cruelty," the volunteer said, "And so we took away his pokemon and put them up for adoption. Thankfully the bastard's trainer card was ripped up; he'll never be allowed to keep pokemon again. His Whirlipede and Klink have already been adopted; only the Vanillish is left because he's been so traumatized that he tends to snap at people."

N looked at the Vanillish, forced himself to look even though it ripped his heart apart. This was what he was trying to fix. So no pokemon would never suffer like that ever ever again, ever. "Why don't you just free him, so he can be happy and away from people who'd hurt him? Once someone takes him back in captivity, he'll just be used in more battles to hurt more pokemon and be hurt himself."

The volunteer actually looked taken aback. "Why would we do that?" she said. "Just because there are some horrible people out there doesn't mean everyone is bad. And look at this," she pointed to a black sticker on the Vanillish's information card, "That sticker means that this pokemon is a companion pokemon only, and shouldn't be used for battling. Other pokemon, like that Joltik you just saw that's now got a loving home? You have to wait until thirty days after adoption before using a pokemon in a match, or six months if they're young. Besides," she said, petting the Mienfoo in her arms, "Pokemon are our friends and companions." N froze at this last comment, but the volunteer didn't notice.

The Mienfoo yipped an agreement; N turned back to the Vanillish, whispering words of comfort to the abused pokemon. The Vanillish leaned his cold white head against the cage, the glass a barrier between him and N's outstretched hand.

"Would you like to hold him?" N nodded; she opened up the cage and let the strange man with the long tangled green hair scoop up the pokemon in his lanky, bony arms. She couldn't help but notice how the world seemed to fade around him as he held the pokemon close. "I'll leave the two of you alone, get to know each other, 'kay?" Mienfoo clinging to her shoulder, the volunteer went back to the other room, where she almost immediately ran into a girl her age, with short blond hair and a green beret, who began squealing in happiness over the little ermine in the volunteer's arms.

Meanwhile, back in the other room, N fed a piece of a treat to the pokemon in his arms, trying to sort out the contradictions in his mind. This place made no sense. They rescued abused pokemon and tried to make them comfortable, he could see that. But then, instead of liberating them, they gave the pokemon back to people. That was bad, they were just letting the pokemon be enslaved and hurt again. Pokemon didn't deserve that.

But...They tried to make sure the pokemon went to good homes. And they cared about the pokemon. And they really, truly thought that pokemon were friends, just like him. But how could they think pokemon were friends and still enslave them with a clear conscience? It made no sense! They were wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong!

N opened his fist to find that he had crushed the cookie to crumbs. He shouldn't have done that. A prince, no, a king shouldn't lose control of his temper.

They were like Bree, he realized. This place...They cared about their pokemon, wanted to see them happy, even though they hurt them...No. N pushed Bree out of his mind; it hurt too much to think about her. He turned back to the Vanillish, who was now starting to warm up to him, metaphorically speaking.

"Maybe I can't save all the other pokemon in here until later," he whispered, "But I can save you right now."

* * *

Cheren and Bree stared up at the slate-gray warehouse before them. "Well," he said, "This is the last place we've got to check."

They opened the door to the aptly-named Cold Storage, one of the largest warehouses in the Driftveil Docks and the only one that stored products that needed to be chilled, and were immediately blasted by an almost comically huge gust of icy air.

Shivering, Bree slammed the door, then stood in the late October sun rubbing her arms for warmth. Beside her, Cheren pulled the scarf he had purchased earlier out of his briefcase, wrapping it tightly around his neck and shoulders. "Oh, what a bother," he groaned. "I absolutely despise the cold. I guess we have no choice though, do we?"

"Oh you're one to complain; you've got a scarf and jacket!" Bree opened the door to the warehouse again, steeling herself against the freezing air, releasing Kaylee and Kazumi and asking them to help keep her warm. "Look, the sooner we recapture these assholes the sooner we can get out of here."

"Way ahead of you," he muttered through chattering teeth, sending out Marina and Nekoya to help him keep watch.

It was late, and a Sunday to boot. All of the workers had gone home; save for pokemon scurrying in the grass and between the warehouses the entire dock was deserted. Scattered lights cast an eerie pale orange glow over the six figures silently scouring the huge, desolate warehouse full of icy boxes and slick cold floors, giving the two humans an orange tint to their skin reminiscent of the hilariously artificial spray-on tans that the Driftveil Shore was roundly teased and mocked for in the summertime.

Little white clouds of breath hung in front of their faces; the only sound was the hollow echo of shoes tiptoeing against frozen ground. Their hearts thudded so hard that the two trainers thought they would hammer out of their chests. The tension was palpable, tangible, just like that night in the back alleyways of Nimbasa where Cheren and Bianca had tracked down N.

Suddenly, Bree's feet slid out from under her as she stepped on a patch of slick ice. While Kaylee and Kazumi were able to grip with their claws, Bree was not so lucky. Frantically waving her arms, it was only through the grace of her thick combat boots with the good tread that she was able to stay upright.

Somehow balanced, she turned around to see a haplessly flailing Cheren sliding right towards her while screaming, "My shoes have no traction; I can't stop!"

Bree barely had time to tell her pokemon, "Brace for impact!" before Cheren thudded straight into them, the force of his impact sending the both human and pokemon careening into the nearest container with a mighty _whud._ Their impact sent shards of frozen water and legitimate icicles falling in a ring about them, scraping their skin and collecting in their hair.

Wiping the condensation off his glasses, brushing artificially produced snow off the brim of her cap, Cheren and Bree looked at the scene around them, at their bodies and the bodies of their pokemon awkwardly heaped next to a container at the edge of an ice slick while in the middle of trying to track down Team Plasma, and couldn't help but laugh at the almost surreal absurdity of it all.

Then the task before them was brought back to mind when Kaylee barked. The Herdier stood stone-still, eyes focused, tail pointing straight behind her, and one paw raised, the classic "point" position. Peeking out from behind the container, Bree and Cheren saw shadows looming in a far-off open container, and could just make out faint whispers.

Bree lowered her voice as well. "Do you think our cover's been blown?"

"Probably, but it's best to keep quiet anyway." They returned their pokemon and silently shuffled along the ice, peering inside the last hollowed container.

"Huddle around me, dammit," commanded another older man also clad in the weird-ass robes , this time with white hair that had once been yellow, to eight or so Plasma grunts, "I can't take this cold..."

"Really now," said Cheren as he practically swaggered out his hiding place, Bree beside him. "Then if you're so cold, shall we show you outside? We've got several nice, warm rooms just waiting for you, each with its own bed and plumbing, and nice matching bracelets."

The sage backed up, only to find himself in a grunt's chest. "Pokemon are our king's friends," he said. "We can't let these trainers take them back, only so they can be abused. Everyone, drive away these intruders! Protect them, and protect me!"

The grunts saluted. "Understood, Sage Zinzolin!" They surrounded Cheren and Bree, pulled out their pokeballs to attack.

Zinzolin? What the heck kind of name was that? Bree put the thought out of her mind as she stared down the Watchog while Cheren's four pokemon made short work of Team Plasma's. She sincerely hoped that these pokemon actually belonged to Team Plasma and weren't the stolen ones, especially after what she was about to do to them.

She released Simon; the Drilbur shivered for a moment before taking stock of the situation, especially the Watchog about to attack. Then he was all business. Bree gave him a single look. "Simon?"

The Watchog-shaped dent in the metal wall wouldn't be removed for several weeks.

Meanwhile, Bree's other pokemon were doing just as well, whether it was Kazumi freezing the ground and ruining her opponents' traction, Eve attacking in a blinding flurry of scratching claws and beating wings, or Kaylee simply charging head-on into every foe in sight.

Cheren, too, was more than holding his own. Sweat dripping down the side of his face despite the cold, he jumped back and forth, commanding his pokemon with aplomb. Joralemon swooped in and out of the fray, mimicking the hit-and-run attacks that Elesa's Emolgas were famous for. Marina stood back-to-back with Kazumi, the Panpour helping the Dewott soak the ground with quickly-freezing water, making it impossible for Plasma pokemon and grunt alike to keep their balance. Julian played support with his vines, whether it was using them to bodily throw his foes face-first along the slippery ice, or holding them down for Nekoya to finish off with his long sharp claws.

Despite the number of foes they faced, Bree and Cheren took them down quickly. They had to; Team Plasma was hindered by the cold and it was only a matter of time before Bree and Cheren, as well as their pokemon, would begin to seriously feel its effects. Just as they finished thoroughly defeating every single pokemon and lined up the Plasma grunts along the wall, Zinzolin included, for good measure, Clay burst in with several workers.

"Well, I'll be! Hiding in a chilly place like this; you really oughta warm up outside." With a snap of his fingers, Clay said, "You guys take these pokemon robbers!"

"Roger that!" Roughly grabbing the grunts and Zinzolin by the arm, the workers pushed the Team Plasma members out of the Cold Storage and into the waiting arms of the law.

Bree couldn't resist a parting shot of, "See ya at the precinct, _Zin-Zin!_" but she wasn't prepared for his reaction.

For a moment, Zinzolin stood stock still; Bree could just make out a whispered, "I haven't been called that since-" before he was dragged away. Except that now he looked crumpled, wilted, as if Bree's mocking remark had drained him. Clay looked back at the two trainers with a smile on his face.

"You guys ain't so bad! Well, a promise is a promise; come on and challenge my gym after these guys get tossed in the slammer." And with that, Clay left to follow his workers.

Cheren watched with a faint smile at karmic justice dealt. "Team Plasma's ideal, of separating people and pokemon? Then you might as well not have pokemon at all." He turned to Bree. "That bunch is a waste of oxygen."

Bree couldn't help but laugh. "Ha! Got that right, Cheren!"

He tried to smirk, but merely ended up sneezing from the chill. "Yeesh, it's cold. I'm getting out of here. Want to come along and share in the satisfaction of watching Team Plasma being hauled away in handcuffs?"

Well, she didn't need to be asked twice. "Hell yeah." Running out after Cheren, then carefully navigating her way around the ice, Bree pushed aside the strangeness of Zinzolin's reaction to the condescending "nickname" she had given him. Not like the rest of Team Plasma was any saner, anyway.

* * *

A/N: And that's the chapter! Next up, other stuff and the gym! Yes, Cheren calls Team Plasma a waste of oxygen in the games. Cheren, I love you.

The volunteer at the shelter? Okay, I fess up: That's a self-insert. See? My self-inserts are cameos and pretty much nothing else. Yes, I volunteer at an animal shelter, and there I kinda get like Flo from the progressive commercials. But I'm good; I've gotten over 400 animals adopted!

...Unfortunately, that Vanillish...About a year ago, we (the shelter) got a cat that someone had tied down, doused with gasoline, and was about to set on fire. But there's a happy ending: The cat found a loving home where she'll never be hurt ever again.

I think that N would have no idea what to make of a pokemon shelter; I hope I portrayed his confliction and confusion accurately. Wonder where you'll see that Vanillish again? :P And yep, that's Bianca at the end of the scene, about to adopt the Mienfoo that becomes the Mienshao that she uses in postgame battles! She and Cheren will get their extra two pokemon earlier, so they'll have a full team of six earlier too. Don't worry; how they get them will make sense.

Anywho, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!


	19. The More You See The Less You Know

Haha! I actually DID manage to update this week! Anywho, this chapter is a long chapter, my longest yet, and the next one's going to be longer. Sorry, but I don't know for sure when that one's going to be up, because I've got APs. Hopefully by next Thursday or Friday...

But that's not why we're here right now. So please, read and enjoy!

* * *

Popcorn. That was all she needed. Popcorn and a video camera to record this beautiful moment for all posterity and upload it on the internet so the entire world could share in its glory, because Bree was a lot of things, but she was not a selfish person.

One of the Plasma grunts interrupted the officer, snapping, "Yeah, yeah, I know my rights!" and was rewarded by a slap in the face from the policeman's very unamused Timburr.

...That time she and Bianca had somehow forced Cheren into a French maid outfit had absolutely nothing on this.

Bree and Cheren stood next to Clay, all three of them trying and failing to suppress grins and smirks as each arrested Team Plasma member was individually fingerprinted, photographed, and flung into steel-and-concrete jail cells. Cheren spoke for them all when he said, "I want to photograph this moment and keep it in my pocket forever."

"Photograph what moment?" asked Bianca as she bounded down the steps to the jail cell. "Sorry I, like, interrupted you but the guy outside said that you were here. What's going on?"

"Aww, Bianca, you missed it," Bree teased.

Cheren indicated the sullen grunts behind dirty metal bars. "This bothersome bunch escaped police custody, so Bree and I got coerced into helping recapture them. As you can clearly see, we succeeded."

Bree chimed in, practically pushing over her nerdy friend. "You should have seen Simon! He was kick-ass!"

"Aww, I missed out on all the fun. But look!" Sitting on a bench, rummaging through her bottomless bag, Bianca eventually pulled out a pokeball speckled with scrawled violet stars, "They've got a pokemon shelter here, and I adopted a Mienfoo. She's absolutely adorable!"

"Really?" Ignoring the jeers of the Plasma grunts, the comments of why their best friend would oppress another pokemon, Bree and Cheren turned their backs on the soon-to-be prisoners to greet Bianca's newest companion.

With a delightful squeal of, "Jiang, come out and see my friends," Bianca released her Mienfoo. The little ermine batted around a chunk of dislodged concrete with her cream-colored paws, hopped onto the bench to nuzzle a bemused Cheren, then lept into his arms when she heard footsteps, and not the heavy bootsteps of Clay. Because Clay was speaking to one of the officers, and both turned around when they heard Ghetsis walk into the jail cell, goofy robes cleaning the floor behind him.

"Leader Clay," he said, skipping all but the most basic of introductions and getting right down to business, "I am Ghetsis, here to pick up my associates in your care."

In the half-light of the jail at dusk, his scouter glowed like some demonic ember. Cheren glared at Ghetsis though his arms were trembling, Bianca withdrew Jiang and hid behind Cheren, and for some reason Bree began quietly whimpering and shivering, an involuntary response of raw fear that she had no logical explanation for.

Clay didn't notice, and if Ghetsis did, he thought nothing of it. "Why would I release them," asked Clay, "Yer buddies were tryin' to steal some folks' pokemon."

Ghetsis shook his head. "Oh, no no no. It seems that there's been some sort of misunderstanding. We only free pokemon from wicked people."

Clay snorted a _harrumph_ around his cigar. "Well, that sounds real nice, if it's true." He took Ghetsis and pointed to a colorfully-painted building just visible out the window. "But we've got the shelter for that. Now I'm not the best talker, but at least I'm honest. You," he indicated to the Plasma sage with his cigar; a bit of ash fell off the smoldering tip to land on his shoe, "May talk real nice, but what yer sayin' kinda sounds like lying."

The older "sage" leaned back, rubbing his chin in thought. For some reason, Bree thought he was going to respond with a threat. Instead, Ghetsis said, "How much is bail?"

Well, that wasn't entirely expected. "What?"

Ghetsis took out a checkbook and a pen. "How much is bail? I have a lot of money saved over from my time regretfully spent overworking pokemon as a member of the Elite Four-" The three teenagers looked at each other in shock. Ghetsis used to be an Elite Four member? "-So I am sure that however much bail costs, I will be able to cover it."

Clay grimaced. And he had spent all that time recapturing them too. At least he was able to return the stolen pokemon. "Yes, but how do I know that ya won't up and take the next flight to Kanto?"

A pause, then Ghetsis said, "They'll hand over their passports as well."

Clay eventually sighed, resigned to the law. "Officer Jones?" The redhaired officer saluted, then unlocked the cells one by one. Zinzolin stumbled over to Ghetsis.

"Thank you," he said. "I couldn't survive a week in prison..."

"Hush now. We are both servants of the king, are we not?" Bree gripped the edge of the bench, a snarl beginning in her throat before Bianca quelled it with a hand to her shoulder. Ghetsis turned to Clay. "A decision worthy of the businessman known as the Miner King. Well then, we shall trouble you no longer."

As the Team Plasma members were halfway up the steps, the sages in the rear, Bree could hear Zinzolin timidly speak up. "S-Sir Ghetsis," he began.

Bree got off the bench, peered around the corner of the stairwell so she could hear the two sages' conversation. Cheren and Bianca followed her, curiously glancing up the concrete staircase.

"You seem troubled," said Ghetsis. "What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just..." Zinzolin's fingers played on the rusting banister; they could hear the faint hollow echo. "One of the two who recaptured us called me Zin-Zin. It was made to mock, and yet...Sir Ghetsis, do you sometimes...Regret..."

"Regret what?" Ghetsis' voice was placid and calm, but Bree _knew_ that there was a knife edge underneath it. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Perhaps we should continue this conversation outside?"

"Uh, yes...Sir Ghetsis." They walked up the stairs, shut the heavy metal door behind them, and were gone.

"...I think there's more to that Ghetsis guy than he's willing to let on." Cheren turned back to his friends. "Bree, if you keep digging into and grabbing your wrists like that, you're going to cut off all the blood to your hands."

Bree looked down to see that she was indeed holding her wrists with such force that her knuckles were white. "Oh. Sorry." Forcing back the inexplicable fear, she commanded her hands to rest by her sides.

The Mining King, finished with his paperwork, turned back to the three Nuvema trainers. "Sorry to let Team Plasma go after you tracked 'em down," he said. "But they paid bail."

"I understand," said Cheren. "The law is the law."

"Yeah, but..." Clay shook his head. "Any case, a promise is a promise. It's late now, but feel free to challenge my gym tomorrow."

Bree could practically feel her pokemon's anticipation through their capsules. "You got it."

* * *

On Monday, all the factories and refineries were open, belching never-ending serpentine coils of smoke. The docks and warehouses bustled with workers moving crates to and fro; the Driftveil malls thrummed with shoppers, Bianca included. Bree and Cheren trained their pokemon by the maze of warehouses, which was much less intimidating in broad daylight. Meanwhile, smoke and smog and pollution blanketed the sky.

While having Julian knock down projectiles with twisting green vines, Cheren said, "This place smells like an industrial fart."

"You've got it a lot easier than I do," wheezed Bree as she reached for her inhaler, out of breath after just a few laps around the icy warehouse.

"That's true. Excellent job, Marina!" The Panpour had just knocked Eve out of the sky mid-glide with a perfectly-aimed attack. Undaunted, Eve nimbly hopped to the top of the warehouse, then rammed into Marina's shoulder's with a dive-bomb attack.

"Nice, Eve! Think we're ready to take on Clay?" The Archen squawked an assent, excitedly hopping up and down.

Cheren smiled at his best friend. "You go and do that. I'm going to get stronger, and defeat Clay in a flawless victory."

"See you later, Cheren. With a shiny new badge!" Bree jogged through the cluttered but clean (except for the pollution-stained bricks) streets of Driftveil, Kaylee happily loping along by her side.

It was easy to find Clay's gym; she just had to find the building whose opulent yet not ostentatious architecture was nevertheless out of place with the smokestacks surrounding it. It was right by the bay; a yacht was moored on the nearby wooden dock.

Bree opened the door, and was immediately greeted by fancy wallpaper, plush chairs, and a thick carpet.

"Woah."

"Hello, and welcome to YaconCorp. Are you-Oh, you're here to challenge Clay?" The receptionist changed her required speech mid-sentence upon seeing that Bree, with her baggy jeans with the transferred white strips, white tanktop with black vest, and trucker cap placed on top of a mass of wavy molasses hair was probably a trainer and most definitely not a client of Clay's.

"Yep," Bree said over Kaylee's excited yapping; the Herdier had spotted a jar of cookies on the receptionist's desk and was now loudly demanding one. "So where is he?"

The receptionist buzzed her in with one hand, giving a rather large treat to Kaylee with the other. "Clay is at the arena at the bottom of the building. He'll see you now. Best of luck!"

"Thank you." But before Bree could get on the elevator, she felt a scrabbling at her belt as Kaylee, half the treat still in her mouth, nudged one of her pokeballs with her cold wet nose.

"Aren't you going to finish that?" Kaylee barked around the cookie, and once again Bree got the sense of half-understanding, as if Kaylee was truly speaking to her in words she knew, words that came almost as if wrenched from the pit of memory.

_Simon! Wanna see Simon!_

The trainer smiled, scratching her Herdier behind the ears. "Aww, okay." With a flash of light, she released Simon; then she sent out Kazumi and Eve as well. Nuzzling the Drilbur, Kaylee dropped the uneaten half of her cookie in front of his feet. Simon thanked her, eating the biscuit with small bites. After the two finished eating, Bree knelt on the carpet and discussed possible battle strategies with her four pokemon surrounding her.

When they finally got in the elevator, Kaylee, clearly discomforted by the change in gravity, lay on the ground with a pathetic look on her face until Bree withdrew the dog pokemon.

The arena was several hundred feet long and almost as wide, lit by fluorescent lights and their glow reflected off large crystals; the low steady reverberating thrum of machinery was the only ambiance.

Clay stepped out from behind a rather large crystal, the brim of his hat casting deep shadows across his face. He tilted his head, extinguished the smoldering cigar in an ashtray. "Well," he said to the trainer before him. "Think it's about time to see fer myself what it is about yer skills that made Elesa take such a shine to you."

"She did?" Oh boy. If she told Clay about her tendency to improvise and her...Unorthodox tactics.

"Yep. Seems that yer one who likes to wing it, if I understand her right. Killigan!" The Palpitoad let out a buzzing croak of a challenge. Bree responded by sending out Simon, hoping that the mole's speed would compensate for the disadvantage.

The crystals sparkled and reflected in Simon's claws, which had become oddly shiny as of late. The Palpitoad launched a wave of muddied water towards Simon, who jumped towards a shiny blue crystal that crackled and sparked. His claws stuck to the crystal, protecting the Drilbur from the worst of the attack. Using the crystal, which Bree noticed was making her hair stand on end as if she was in the presence of a rather large static charge, as a slingshot, Simon made a single slash along Killigan's stomach, landing in a crouch and ready to burrow underground.

"Well, I'll be," said Clay. "That's the Chargestone Special! Sure didn't see that coming."

Bree had heard of Chargestone Cave, but the Chargestone Special? "What?"

"Yer Drilbur," Clay explained as the little pokemon used the electric crystals to aid in his attacks. "He's from Chargestone Cave; I'm sure of it. Only pokemon who've spent their lives around the electric rocks know how to use them in battle."

So that's where Simon was from...She had found him such a long way from his home...

She looked up to see that the fight had turned against Simon; the Palpitoad's bulk combined with his type advantage was too much for Simon, even with his powerful clawing attacks. Launching himself from crystal to electric crystal, the Drilbur was eventually swamped by Killigan's water attacks.

"Simon! Good job, now Kaylee will take over!" When Kaylee, just released from her pokeball, caught a glimpse of Simon before he was withdrawn, she glared at Killigan with a feral snarl, launching herself at the Palpitoad with all her force. The dog and amphibian wrestled on the ground; grit dug into his smooth slimy skin and ground its way into her stiff yet shiny tan and black fur, but neither paid any attention it it. Both Bree and Clay shouted commands to their pokemon, but to no avail.

Finally, the ground torn up and uneven, the Herdier's fur sopping wet with not only water but also mud and sand and other gunk (Bree sighed at the long bath that was certainly in store for Kaylee tonight), Kaylee stood victorious over the collapsed Killigan. With a laugh and a shout of, "Take 'er down, Logan!" Clay released his next pokemon, a swaggering Krokorok.

Lawrence crossed her mind for an instant, and it took a moment before Bree remembered why: Kamina. Looking at the long striped spiny tail that Logan lashed at Kaylee, she couldn't help but remember the truncated tail of Lawrence's Krokorok. And just as quickly as the thought crossed her mind, it fled into the shadowy place where all forgotten thoughts go. Bree turned back to the battle at hand.

Even though Kaylee was equal in strength to Logan, the Krokorok was faster than the Herdier, and her black cloak of a fur coat was soaked with water, slowing her further. As a result, she was only able to launch a few attacks before being taken down by his slow powerful attacks, all sharp claws and crushing bites.

_Nimble, _Bree thought as she withdrew Kaylee and reached for her next pokemon._ I need someone light and nimble._ "Go for it, Eve!"

Eve still couldn't fly, but the Archen was much stronger than when they had first met in the Relic Castle two weeks ago. Hovering a few inches above the uneven ground by flapping her colorful wings, Eve hopped from stone to stone before hooking her claws into Logan's shoulders and the back of his neck. The Krokorok roared, thrashed around in increasingly frustrated attempts to shake off the ancient bird, but to no avail. Eventually, Clay had to withdraw the ground-type crocodile, if only because Eve's wings powerfully beating against his head would give the Krokorok a concussion if she kept it up for too long.

Clay tossed his last pokeball up and down in his large hand. "I ain't givin' up. Hell, I could have given up any old time. Yacon, let's go!"

The Excadrill roared a challenge, honing his claws on the electrically-charged crystals, leaving sparks in their wake. A part of her grinning internally at the thought of what Simon would be, Bree replaced a clearly-outmatched Eve with Kazumi.

Kazumi lept forward, matching Yacon shell for claw, jumping back with a yelp when she saw that the curved shell now had a scratch running down its length. The Dewott gritted her teeth, dodging the Excadrill's powerful slashes, wincing when others grazed her fur.

Something was strange about the Excadrill's fighting style, and Bree's eyes widened when she found it. The way he propelled himself from stone to stone, all of them charged with electricity, how he sharpened his metallic claws on the rocks before fighting, how those claws now not only faintly crackled with residual static but also seemed to stick, for lack of a better word, to the blue rocks like magnets on a fridge...

"It's the Chargestone Special!"

Clay laughed, a rumble from deep in his belly. "Ya got it! Yacon here's from the Chargestone Cave too! Think you can beat him?"

For Kazumi to defeat Yacon, who was faster and stronger despite the type disadvantage, she'd have to remove the additional advantage of the Chargestone Special. Bree looked at Kazumi, who was spending more time dodging the Excadrill's attacks than actually fighting back, then to the clawed up stones; little charged pebbles of assorted shapes and sizes lay at their bases. Bree couldn't help but notice how they rattled whenever Yacon's claws skimmed over them. Little pebbles blocking moving parts...That was it!

"Kazumi! Use the pebbles!" The Dewott's keen eyes flashed; she chirruped in understanding. Picking up a handful of pebbles, she stood and waited. The next time Yacon's claws swooped towards her in an attack, Kazumi flung the blue stones at them.

Yacon stopped. The tiny charged stones clung to his claws, impeding their movement, slowing the swiftness of his attacks. Frantically, the Excadrill scrabbled to get them off; instead, the pebbles merely rolled around on his claws, or worse still attached to the other hand.

"Now, Kazumi! Let's finish this!"

Drawing her shell blades, Kazumi flashed a grin to her trainer. _Don't need to tell me twice!_ Running along the conveyor belt for a boost to her speed, she flung one shell mid-leapas if it were a boomerang towards the Excadrill. Masterfully catching it in her paw as she landed, Kazumi charged Yacon with a cry.

The Excadrill was still able to attack the Dewott (one rather large bruise on Kazumi's shoulder in particular would probably hurt like hell in the morning if Bree didn't head to a pokemon center soon), but the charged stones stubbornly clinging to metal claws hindered his attacks. It was only a matter of time before Kazumi was victorious.

Clay let out a low whistle as he withdrew his Excadrill, giving the large mole a few words of comfort as the pokemon vanished inside its capsule. "Well," he said to Bree, "Ya sure have an imposin' battle style. Definitely got great potential. Y'all deserve this." He placed the Quake Badge in Bree's hand; she held it up in triumph while giving an exhausted Kazumi a high-five.

"Oh," he added. "And there's something else I want to give ya. Wait here." Clay vanished into a back room, returning a few moments later with a large bottle of pills.

Bree took the bottle, read the label. "Ionized iron supplements? What's this?"

"Yer Drilbur, Simon," Clay explained. "He's going to evolve soon, and then he'll gain the steel type. Steel types need iron supplements to keep up their strength and endurance; iron ore usually works fine, but ya might not be able to get yer hands on a free supply and it can get mighty expensive. Plus, this is ionized just like the ore in Chargestone Cave, so yer pokemon will be able to keep up the Chargestone Special no matter how far away he is."

"Wow. Thank you, Clay."

The gym leader grunted, but allowed a smile. "Now don't be thanking me none. Just a kindness from one trainer to another, as it should be. Now go on and rest up yer pokemon; they deserve it. And don't go losin' to anyone else now that you beat me, ya hear?"

"Believe me Clay, I don't plan to." Waving good-bye to Clay, Bree got on the elevator and left the gym, heading straight to the pokemon center to restore her companions to full health.

Except that Kaylee, though fully healed, was still caked in mud and dirt. She left muddy pawprints where she walked. So, even though it was barely noon, Bree drew up a bath. However, Kaylee being a Herdier, the pokemon hid under the bed and only came out, paws scrabbling against the floor, when both Kazumi and Bree dragged her out by her tail, plopping the Herdier in the tub as Bree closed the bathroom door with her foot; it locked automatically.

"Hey, Kazumi," Bree said to her Dewott as she tossed the white plastic showerhead to her pokemon, "You want to help me give Kaylee a bath?"

A wide grin drew its way across Kazumi's furry blue face.

* * *

"The black-haired boy with the red glasses and blue jacket is named Cheren Shiro. His pokemon are a Servine, a Liepard, a Tranquill, and a Panpour. He desires to become Champion, and is recklessly pursuing the ideal of strength. The yellow-haired girl with the round green hat and orange vest is called Bianca Noir. Her pokemon are a Pignite, a Herdier, a Munna, a Pansage, and possibly a Mienfoo. She, conversely, is learning that not everyone can become as strong as they desire."

"Thank you, Zero," Ghetsis said. The leader of the Shadow Triad bowed, as did the other two members behind them, who ran into the cavern behind them. "N," he barked to the boy standing mesmerized at the entrance of Chargestone Cave, the bare stalk of a dandelion in his hand, a few of its feathery seeds still clinging to his spindly fingers, "Are you listening?"

"Oh, uh, y-yes, F-Sage Ghetsis," stuttered N, who turned around rapidly. "I'm sorry, I just...The electromagnetic properties of Chargestone Cave, the way that the pokemon have adapted to its presence..."

"I understand. But we don't have time for that now. You heard about Driftveil, right?"

"Uh...Yeah. So they were Cheren and...Bree..." N glanced down from the stern face of Ghetsis. Zinzolin wasn't there, but N had seen the other Sage before he left. Zinzolin had looked funny; the skin around his eyes was swollen and bruised, and his lip was all puffy. But the boy king had said nothing and said nothing else now, just played his hands along the hem of his white shirt.

"N, what is it about this Bree girl that has so entranced you? As I said, she is a threat to the plan."

"I, uh..." All or nothing, he supposed. "There are two dragons, so could there maybe be two heroes...?"

Ghetsis closed his eyes and sighed, but said nothing. That was a good thing, right? After several minutes, he spoke again. "Perhaps. But we would have to test her, right?"

If N were sitting, he would have lept to his feet. Instead, he stood straight up. "Yes! Exactly! We need to test her and see if she...If she could be..." So then he could see more of her, see more of the girl who set his heart aflame. And maybe...Just maybe show her that that Cheren guy was wrong and a big awful meanie too, and then she'd join him, join the King of Team Plasma and be...Be..."The queen!" Now N actually did jump in excitement. "She could be the Queen of Team Plasma, just like I'm the King!"

"...That may be," Ghetsis said with a glance to the Shadow Triad behind him. "But we need to test her first. So N, if I were you, I would wait for her in the cave. The Shadow Triad will block the entrance so that only the worthy may enter. And then they shall bring her to you."

"Thank you, Ghetsis," said N with a smile as Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad began to walk inside the cave. "But why are you going in now?"

"To prepare the block," he said simply. "We will call you inside soon. For now, see how the city of Driftveil creates pollution that chokes helpless pokemon who simply want to breathe."

N's hands balled into fists. When he ruled, he'd make sure that cities wouldn't be able to hurt pokemon like that, even if they helped pokemon like the Vanillish he "adopted," as they said. (He couldn't set the Vanillish free, not yet, it wasn't cold enough for the pokemon to be comfortable.)

"You'll see I'm right, Bree," he said to the sky, "And then you'll be my Queen. I'll be King and you'll be Queen and your pokemon will be free and happy and we'll be happy! I'm gonna make you my Queen!"

Inside the cave, Epsilon was growing impatient.

"Leader, why are we not allowed to cut the girl's throat? You see what she is doing to him."

"I told you," said Ghetsis, "The brat's got a boner for the girl. That's all there is to it. Why he's got a hard-on for someone with so little meat on her is beyond me, but whatever. As long as he thinks that she can be his queen or whatever little fucked-up fantasy is going on in his mind, then we're good. Besides, if he thinks that by winning she'll be his "queen" then he'll want to be victorious even more."

Zero couldn't help but see one glaring problem. "But what if, by some improbability, she does manage to summon the other?"

Ghetsis scoffed, the noise echoed around the cave. "Pah. Not like that's gonna happen. I've seen her a couple of times. All talk and nothing else; Bronius said that she screamed and passed out when he so much as grabbed her wrists. And she's terrified of me, rightly so I may add. She's no threat whatsoever, and to dispose of her now would attract too much attention to us. Just let the kid play his stupid game."

Theta grinned, a feral smile that wasn't a smile so much as it was a mouthful of sharp pointed teeth. The primal fear elicited by such a gesture was only enhanced by the blue glow of the charged rocks found throughout the large cave. "And when N wins, then can we have the girl?"

The Sage of Team Plasma waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Cut her throat, rip her apart, take care of her other companions, both human and pokemon; I don't give a shit what you do. Just don't do anything until N is the champion and our victory is complete. And, most importantly, leave him to me."

They bowed. "Understood, Leader. We live to serve you." The Shadow Triad melted into the shadows, leaving Ghetsis alone. Ghetsis made his way through the cavern, calling the other Team Plasma members to prepare themselves as he did so. Zinzolin had fucked up badly in Driftveil. Ghetsis could feel a vein pulse in his temple as he thought about it. And then that "Zin-Zin" bullshit?

"Thank whatever god you worship that you didn't make a fatal mistake, Zinzolin," Ghetsis muttered to himself, "Because if you fuck up again I am not going to be happy." So many screwups in the span of just a few weeks. This was no good for his health. Ghetsis needed a good bottle of wine and a comfortable footrest; the sooner the better.

* * *

A/N: And that's the chapter! Things just keep getting weirder and weirder...

Oh man, the next chapter's gonna be huge! First there's the battle with Bianca, and then CHARGESTONE CAVE. Simon's original home! Team Plasma! The Shadow Triad! **N!** I may need to split the chapter in half just to get everything in, because it's going to be great! Oh, I really, really hope it'll be great...

Anyways! I really hope you enjoyed reading this, and I'd appreciate it if you told me what you enjoyed, what you didn't, you know. I don't bite. :P

But whether or not you review, thank you for reading!


	20. Please Don't Take It So Badly

Hey everyone! Just starting AP week, but I somehow managed to get this up! Seriously, I dunno how I did it. I'm probably going to edit quite a bit of it later this week though. :P

Anywho, I ended up splitting Chargestone Cave and the stuff around it in half, mainly because I needed to add in a bit of background drabble and...You'll see! Oh, I hope I did okay, N refused to cooperate with me...

But please enjoy!

* * *

"Aww, Bree, you're so much better than me!"

Bree blushed and scuffed the ground while Bianca returned her defeated Musharna.

"Hey, I'm not that strong," said Bree. "I mean, look at Simon; he's about to drop. You really have gotten a lot better too."

Cheren stood up from the park bench where he had watched the battle with him pokemon, having taken a break from training. "But Bree, you and your pokemon defeated Clay earlier today, so none of you were at full strength."

"Yeah! You'd totally cream me if you and your pokemon were all fresh and raring to go. But did you really need to say, Scowlyspecs?" Bianca stuck out her tongue at her friend; he groaned and rolled his eyes in response.

"I'm simply stating the truth: With five badges, Bree is stronger than the both of us right now. Which is why I've got to train!"

Smiling as they walked to the pokemon center, the sun sinking into the multicolored Driftveil Bay behind them, Bree said, "Come on, seriously. I'm not like Champion Alder or something. I just...We gotta get stronger to stay together!" With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the topic. "So Bianca, what did you do today?"

"Oh, oh right!" She bounced a bit in excitement, her beret falling over her eyes before she readjusted it. "Have you seen the mall? It's like, unbelievably huge! And I got a Moon Stone to evolve Munny, and he seems happy too," Bianca said while Bree nodded in agreement; she had noticed how much more self-confident the pokemon had become after his evolution. "Oh! And I got something for both of you too!"

Cheren held open the door for his friends. "Really? May we see it?"

A finger held up in his direction, the owner of that finger handed over her pokemon alongside Bree's to the nurse before speaking. "Let's eat dinner before I show you, 'kay?"

Interrupting Cheren's nod of affirmation, the nurse announced over the intercom, "Trainer Bianca Noir to the front desk, please."

"Huh?" Her friends following, she walked over to where the nurse was standing. "Excuse me miss, what's wrong?"

The nurse tapped a few keys before turning the computer screen over to the three trainers. "Your Musharna isn't on the pokemon registry."

"Oh!" Bianca's hands flew to her mouth, her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "I'm, like, so sorry."

"It's okay," said the nurse, who slid a packet and a pen over the counter. "Just fill out this form and hand it in."

Contrary to stereotypes, governments were neither ineffectual nor stupid. It was perfectly common knowledge that while many pokemon were relatively harmless, just as many were able to wreak mass havoc. Therefore, every region had a national registry and approval list. Pokemon on the list, essentially any pokemon that could cause serious physical, mental, or monetary damage, could only be kept by trainers who had proven themselves capable of handling dangerous creatures. This was usually done by earning several gym badges. Any pokemon on the list also needed to be registered to that trainer through the local governments, so that pokemon centers and gym leaders could easily keep table on them. Though the specific pokemon on the list varied by region (imported pokemon needed a whole slew of permits and the like that caused enough redundancy and paperwork as it was), there were general trends throughout each region.

Bree looked over the list as Bianca filled out the form (Name: Bianca Annabelle Noir. Hometown: Nuvema. Trainer ID: 83145. Pokemon: Musharna. And so forth.). Powerful fire, electric, and fighting types like Conkeldurr and Eelektross were on the list. Most dark types and any poison-type whose venom would pose an actual threat rather than an annoyance (i.e., nearly all poison-types) were present as well. Munna, Gothita, Solosis, and Woobat weren't on the list, but their evolutions were, along with every other psychic type in Unova. All the ghost and dragon types in the region were listed as well. So was every species of steel type pokemon, even relatively harmless ones like Ferroseed and Klink. The incongruency was not lost on Bree, and she turned to another nurse to ask why.

"Because," explained the nurse, "Steel-types have very specific dietary requirements. They can get by on scrap metal for a while, but to stay healthy they need pure ore and iron supplements. They can get expensive, and nobody wants to give their pokemon malnutrition because they can't afford to feed them. So this type is on the list so that we can ensure that the trainer is able to properly care for his-or her-pokemon."

"Oh. Okay." Her fingers closed around the bottle of supplements. Neither Bianca nor the nurse she handed the forms to noticed the troubled look on Bree's face, or the pained frown as her slim fingers brushed Simon's pokeball.

Then Bianca, ever cheery, tapped her on the shoulder, took Cheren by the hand, and dragged the both of them out of the pokemon center and onto the street where dinner awaited. The moment was gone.

* * *

They sat cross-legged on the suite's beige carpet, their pokemon played and rested around them, and their bellies were full.

"Oh wow," said Bree to Bianca, holding the sleek fabric in her hand, "This scarf is awesome. Thanks!"

Bianca hugged her friend. "Haha, thanks. I just saw it and was like, this is totally perfect for my best friend Bree!" She broke the hug to rummage through her bag and give another package to Cheren, who opened it carefully.

He blinked at the two items that dropped on his lap. "A mystic water and a water stone?"

"Yeah," Bianca explained. "That's called the Panpour package. When I went to get a moon stone to evolve Munny I looked for a leaf stone for Corn, but they were all out. I found this, though!"

"Bianca, this..." Cheren trailed off, looking at the water stone, an expensive evolutionary item, while Marina and Corn peeked over his shoulders. "This is...Wow. Thank you."

She blushed, the pink tinge making for an interesting contrast with the blond of her hair and green of her hat. "R-Really, Cheren, it was...It was nothing..." Averting her eyes from his, she instead decided to make a studious inspection of the carpet.

Marina, meanwhile, took a long at the water stone that Cheren had offered to her. A brief conversation with Corn, and she batted away the item; the blue stone landed next to Cheren's right foot. He picked it up, a quizzical expression on his face. "Marina, why don't you want to evolve? You'll be so much more powerful."

Bree closed her eyes, shook her head, sent her mane of dark chocolate hair flying every which way. No way. No way had she just heard and understood what her friends' Pansage and Panpour had just said to each other. Her pokemon was one thing, she was starting to accept that (and on the fringes of her memory, she could remember understanding Eric's yips and whinnies as well), but other pokemon too?

Still...There really was no other explanation. "Marina," she started, "I...I think she wants to wait for Corn, for you to get a leaf stone, Bianca. That way...I think they want to evolve together."

Bianca squealed. "Awww, that's so romantic!" She squeezed her Pansage in a tight hug; the monkey laughed as she buried her head in his green fur.

Cheren, however, picked up on Bree's hesitancy, the confusion in her words. "How do you know that?"

Her fingers trailed a pattern in the carpet. "I...I heard them speaking to each other. But," she quickly defended herself, "I don't think it's like N speaks to pokemon! I mean...At least I don't think so."

"Whatever," muttered Cheren, his arms folded as he looked out the window into the night. In Nuvema, the sky would be speckled with stars. In Castelia, the city lights would take their place. Here in Driftveil, the smog made everything hazy. "We should get ready to go to sleep, and plan for tomorrow. Now, since I still need to defeat Clay, I'm going to be a few hours behind you, but-"

Bianca, lying flat on her back, raised an outstretched index finger in the air. "Can we talk about this after I shower? I'm all sweaty and gross."

It was a testament to the level of comfort among the three of them that Bree, Bianca, and Cheren felt at ease using the bathroom all at once. As Bianca showered behind the solid yellow curtain, Cheren shaved off the sparse scraggled black hairs on his lip and chin, his body's pathetic attempt at facial hair, while Bree brushed her teeth.

Bianca raised her voice over the _kssh_ of hot running water pounding down her back. "So you'll see us in Mistralton in the evening?"

"Yes," Cheren promised, leaning in close to the quickly fogging mirror so he didn't accidentally cut the sensitive skin below his nose. "I checked the train schedule and if you go through Chargestone Cave, which I would if I were you, you should make it to Mistralton by dusk. Don't worry about me."

"Okay," she chirped from behind the curtain. "Bree, this is gonna be so fun! And Cheren, don't worry, I'll wait for you outside the cave."

A squeak from the turning knob, and the shower turned off. Bianca's bare wet hand emerged from the curtain to fumble at the fabric of a nearby towel when Cheren, with a reddened face, stood up and left the bathroom without warning, his razor left uncapped by the sink. Covering up the razor, laughing to herself, Bree followed her friend out of the bathroom so Bianca could get dressed in peace.

Blankets drawn up as protection against the night chill of late autumn air, Bree, still awake, looked over the side of the bed to see Simon curled up in the warmth of Kaylee's fur, and the bottle of ionized iron supplements on the nightstand. The words of the nurse, the possibility of a malnourished Simon, buzzed in her head. Bree rolled over and pressed the pillow around her ears in an unsuccessful attempt to drive the images out of her mind. She didn't want to think about it.

* * *

The train that ran through Route Six had several stops after that, including Mistralton proper, but Bree and Bianca decided to walk through Chargestone Cave instead. It would be a lot more fun to walk through than forests tainted with factories and polluted streams, the smoggy air tinged with pesticides and burned fuel.

Bianca had run off somewhere outside the cave, leaving Bree on her own.

"That's odd." An large web was spread across the entrance of the cave, blocking her entrance. Approaching the web, Bree noticed her hair begin to tingle and stand on end.

"Oh great, I'm stuck here."

Simon, looking at Bree, smiled. _Let me handle this._ Sure enough, his sharp claws quickly shredded the web; the Drilbur was completely unaffected by the electrical shocks.

"Thank you, Simon," Bree said, looking around at the plateau. A large sign was noticeably placed outside the cave, warning people to turn off their electronic devices before entering the cave. Sure enough, barely a few feet in, her Pokedex fizzed and sparked and shut itself off before short-circuiting.

Bree, bathed in blue light reflected off the crystals, moved slowly through the cave. Simon moved even more slowly, running his long sharp claws down the electrified rocks, his eyes wide as he chittered softly to Kaylee and himself. Eve perched on Bree's head, squawking at the zaps of discharged electricity and chasing after tiny Joltiks. Kazumi, for some reason, seemed to be unusually wary and guarded. Her keen eyes shifted back and forth, her whiskers twitched, her paws played on her shells, ready to attack at any moment.

She had just lost sight of the entrance when three emaciated figures flashed into her vision. Bree screamed, Eve toppled off her head and onto Simon, Simon threw off the Archen and flashed his claws, Kaylee guarded Bree with a snarl and Kazumi actually yelped before baring her fangs and flashing her shell blades.

Bree stepped back and came up against a smooth cool rock, cursing herself for not carrying a can of pepper spray on her. She felt primal fear as she looked at the three bent figures with the seemingly flat dead yellow eyes-that sparked with predatory instinct. Her heart pounded, her knees wobbled, her breaths came fast, short, and shallow. With their white hair, yellow eyes, stooped figures, protruding ribs, curled hands, and oddly bent knees, they seemed almost inhuman. Bree suppressed an involuntary shudder.

One of them, a bit taller than the other two, beckoned towards Bree. The trainer couldn't help but feel like a Sewaddle about to become an Unfezant's lunch. He whispered, "...Come," and she felt as if the cool metal of a blade was pressed against her spine. Bree walked forward; she didn't have much of a choice.

Quickly, far too quickly, so quickly that she had to withdraw Kaylee and Kazumi because they couldn't keep up, they brought her deeper into the cave. They backed away, allowed Bree to adjust her eyes to the dim lighting. The first thing she saw, apart from blue on blue, was N, curled up on the floor, playing with several Joltik.

"Lord N," another interrupted, "We found her." Again, without any warning whatsoever, they vanished.

N waved at Bree, a wide grin on his face. "Hi Bree," he said as he stood up; several more Joltiks were attached to his shirt and one of them jumped to the brim of Bree's cap. "Aw," he said as she yelped, the Joltik nesting in her hair, "She likes you."

Eve's eyes locked on to the little spider and Bree returned the Archen before she could pounce. She had absolutely no time for N's shenanigans. "What was that," she said.

N tilted his head, green-gray eyes staring at Bree in befuddlement before dawning in understanding. "Oh, that was the Shadow Triad just now. They're...Well, I dunno what they are, but Ghetsis enlisted them to help with Team Plasma."

Oh great, more creeps. But N ignored her, and kept rambling, his hands splayed on the charged rocks, a dreamy look on his face. "Chargestone Cave," he said, "I like this place. It's...It's beautiful, but in a different way than you are. Formulas express electricity, and their connection to pokemon...If there weren't people here to hurt these pokemon, this would be an ideal place."

She ran the palm of her hand along the stones, felt static prickle up her arm. "Yeah, it is really nice here and...Did you just call me beautiful?" Again, against her better judgment, Bree found herself drawn to whatever the boy king might say next. Sure, he was shaping up to be really handsome now that he was filling out with good food and was no longer so unhealthily pale, but still! The guy had a screw loose, or more like several.

N looked down, twiddled his thumbs, a little smile playing on his face. His cheeks reddened and he changed the subject. "You've been chosen," he blurted. "Did you know that?"

That got her attention. "Chosen? What are you talking about?" Did he...Did he really think that he was a king? And that the fairytales and myths and legends were all real? What was he, seven? Eight? Bree herself had stopped seriously thinking she was truly the characters she played make-believe as with her friends years ago. Years ago, the last time that had happened, when Cheren and Bree had pretended to be King and Queen with Bianca as Princess, Bree had apparently never taken off the metaphorical crown (which was actually a bunch of vines looped around her head, but she digresses). At which point she demanded that her mother bow to the queen, and at which point her mother had had a very long talk with a seven-year-old Bree about how no, the little girl was not a queen and never was and would never be, and make-believe was different from real life. It had hurt back then, but it had to be done.

But N...N seemed to truly believe. Knelt on the ground, the boy king stroked Simon's smooth head. "He's from here, did you know that? Drilbur, you seem happy to be back home." He regarded Bree with a smile, a slightly rueful, almost apologetic one. "You've been chosen, though whether or not you'll be a Hero..." He shook his head. "I...After I told Ghetsis about you," not that he had much of a choice, "He had the Shadow Triad, Zero, Epsilon, and Theta, find out more about you and your friends."

N should have noticed the sudden chill in the atmosphere, but he didn't. "Cheren Shiro is recklessly and dangerously pursuing the ideal of strength, uncaring about how he is pushing his pokemon, while poor Bianca Noir is facing the sad truth that not everyone can become stronger," he paraphrased. Looking up, seeing Bree's face take on that flat blankness again, like back in Nimbasa, N gulped.

"...My friends?" Her voice was flat again. N learned quickly, and he backed away.

Sure enough, Bree's explosion was particularly loud and colorful. "MY FRIENDS? You had your creepy-ass Shadow creepers spy on me and MY FRIENDS?"

With a whimper, the boy king seemed to curl into himself. This wasn't working out like he wanted, not like how he wanted at all! He'd taken a look at some of the books that he'd heard girls swooning over and calling so "romantic," which apparently had something to do with making girls queens and how he felt whenever he was around her, forced his way past the stultifying prose, and came to the conclusion that girls must like it when guys follow them and try to learn more about them. Which was why he didn't protest too much when Ghetsis told him about what he had already commanded the Shadow Triad to do. And he was curious.

...He just wanted Bree to like him again. N liked it when Bree liked him, even if it made him feel like his insides were full of Larvestas.

N held up his hands in preparation for a rain of blows, babbling desperately, "L-Look, Bree! It wasn't me, it was Ghetsis who came up with the idea and-"

"DO YOU THINK I GIVE A FUCK?" Bree was on a roll now and there was no stopping her. Simon merely gave N a death glare. "See, this is the problem with you guys, you do really creepy things and you steal our pokemon and I don't think that 'meanies' should keep pokemon either, but you don't give the rest of us a choice! And now you're stalking me and my friends? You sick fuck, keep your shadow creepers away from me, and ESPECIALLY keep them away from my friends! I don't even care anymore if you're some creepy pervert who's had those freaks take pictures of me in the shower and rubs one out to them every night! Well, of course I care, but that's not the point! What I'm saying is to keep! Away! From! My! Friends!"

Each word was accentuated by a finger jab to his skinny chest. N hung his head, green wisps spilling over his eyes. "What are you..." He shook his head. Everything about Bree was so confusing; he'd never be able to sort it out. But he was getting upset. And a King should never never never let his emotions run rampant. "I..." His hands balled into fists; his voice choked back a scream and a whine. "Team Plasma will be waiting up ahead. Ghetsis wants to see what kind of trainer you are." He turned to leave, stomping his foot on the ground, but couldn't resist one last jab. "And you're a meanie too," he called back without turning his head, "If you're gonna take your Drilbur from his home again! He's gonna be an Excadrill! People are meanies who don't let their steel types live where they can eat right! If you don't let him eat right you're a huge meanie!"

N didn't know it, but his last comment actually stung. She looked down at Simon, who was busy extending a middle claw in N's general direction.

She picked up the Drilbur, tapping his nose with a smile. "Heh, Simon, you're the best."

But. Bree couldn't help but look at his claws again, see how shiny they were becoming. She had gone on the internet that morning, had seen how expensive iron supplements were, especially the ionized ones. And she had looked at pictures of malnourished steel types. They weren't pretty.

Bree sighed and continued deeper on into the cave, the little Joltik hopping off her head and scuttling off into a little crack in the ground. Her head hurt, and her heart hurt. Simon...As much as she wanted to be with him, his health was so much more important.

What should she do?

* * *

The turning gears of the Klink made a metallic whirring clunking noise. Bree still couldn't believe this was a pokemon.

Jiang jumped out of Bianca's arms and began running on pokemon as if the gears were a treadmill. Bree and Bianca couldn't help but laugh as the Mienfoo slipped and faceplanted on the ground. Nonplussed, Professor Juniper continued studying the pokemon.

Bianca then frowned, turning back to the sobering news that Bree had just told her. "So, like, this Ghetsis guy has a bunch of ninjas stalking us?"'

"Basically."

Her brow furrowed and her lips moved as she tried to put a positive spin on these events. "It's okay," Bianca finally said, "Because since I'm not as strong as you or Cheren, they'll leave me alone! And Cheren's awesomely awesome, and he's not scared of ninjas!"

"Yeah," Bree bantered, "He'll kick their ninja butts and send them crying home to their mothers!" But inside, she wasn't too sure. N may have been unnerving, with his rigid views and social ineptness, but the Shadow Triad was like Ghetsis. They were downright _scary._

"Bianca," A lime-green beret popped up from next to the Klink at the sound of its owner's name. "Will you be okay by yourself? I need to go find N and beat the living crap out of him."

Bianca nodded eagerly. "Yeppers! I'll be fine! Besides, I've got my pokemon and Professor Juniper."

At this point the professor looked up from her papers and said, "It's okay, Bree. Team Plasma is quite subtle in many ways; I don't think they'll try anything with someone as high-profile as me around."

Bree nodded, sighed in relief. "That's good. I...I don't want any of you getting hurt because of me."

The professor smiled, putting Bree at ease. "Like I said, we'll be fine. Bree, just do what you've got to do. But-" and here Aurea Juniper became uncharacteristically serious, "-Please, do not put yourself in a dangerous situation, especially around Team Plasma. Not only your friends, but also your mother and I would never be able to live with ourselves if you got hurt because of them."

"...Okay, Professor. I understand. Kazumi! Kaylee! Simon! Eve! Let's go!" Eve clinging to her forehead, Kazumi and Kaylee running along on either side of her, Simon burrowing adjacent to them, Bree and her pokemon ran deeper into Chargestone Cave, seeking out Team Plasma and N.

About half an hour later, Simon stopped. Holding up one clawed hand, he sniffed the air. Two large mounds of earth made their way towards Bree and her pokemon. Two Excadrill burst out of the ground. Bree staggered back; Kazumi, Kaylee, and Eve moved to defend her from the potential threat.

But Simon ran forward, throwing himself into the arms of the two Excadrill. And what he was saying needed no translation. It was universal.

_Mom! Dad!_

Bree sat down hard on the ground as Simon embraced his parents. Taking them by the claw, he led them to Bree and her other three pokemon. The larger, male Excadrill inspected Bree's other pokemon; he paid special attention to Kaylee, who alternated between barking excitedly and abashedly averting her gaze from Simon's father. His mother listened patiently to Simon's long tale, then looked at Bree. Again, the language used between parents was universal.

_Thank you for helping my son._

Bree smiled crookedly. "Hey, no problem. Simon's awesome." And then the awkwardness of the situation began to dawn on her.

Simon was home. This whole time, the reason the the Drilbur had been traveling with Bree in the first place was because the Wellspring Cavern was no place for him to live and he had nowhere else to go. But now Simon was home, and with his parents. If Bree forced him to go with her, then what kind of trainer, what kind of person was she?

N's words raced around and around in Bree's mind. As much as she hated to admit it, he had some good points. Abusive trainers should not be allowed to keep pokemon. Pokemon shouldn't be forced to travel with people, not if they don't want to. And Simon...He was home. He seemed happy here. How long had he been separated from his family? How could she tear him away from them again?

And then...And then there was the evolution. Excadrill. A steel-type. The Chargestone Special. Again, for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day, Bree looked at the ionized supplements Clay had given her. Enough for a month or two. But what about when they ran out? Could she afford to raise Simon, to keep him healthy for the rest of his life?

...She didn't know. Bree didn't know if she would be able to take care of Simon. She. Didn't. Know.

And if she couldn't take care of her pokemon, then she had no right to. Though she loved Simon, though the parting would hurt...If she couldn't keep Simon, or any of her pokemon, happy and healthy, then she shouldn't keep them at all.

Then, if she truly loved them, she would let them go.

Bree wiped the tears from her eyes, stifled a sob. Getting down on her knees, she wrapped her arms around Simon's smooth skin in a final embrace. Behind her, Kaylee whined. Though she didn't know exactly what was coming, she had some general idea. Confused, Simon looked at Bree.

"Simon," she sniffled, "I love you so much. All of you," she said to the rest of her pokemon, "I love you all so much."

"Which is why...Simon...I...I don't know if I'll be able to take care of you when you're an Excadrill!" Her voice cracked, and it was all Bree could do not to break down sobbing.

But she had to do this. As painful as it was...It was for the best. For Simon. And he was what was important.

"Simon...I think you'll be happier...With your family."

* * *

A/N: DUN DUN DUN.

Yep! Talk about a cliffhanger! Yes, I had this planned from the start. I hope this turned out okay...

Well...See ya next week! *Dodges thrown produce*


	21. With A Little Help From My Friends

Alright, update time! And this is a loooooong one too! I didn't expect it to be so long. Sorry if there are any grammatical errors; this website is an asshole and I had to jump through hoops just to get this chapter up.

Anyway! I really, really like this chapter. I hope you do too!

* * *

Any joy present between Trainer and Pokemon was now drained away. Bree trudged along the path of the cave; not even her long ponytail bounced anymore. Eve hung limply to her head, claws barely clinging in her thick brown hair and white stained cap. Kazumi walked beside them; one paw touching Bree's hand in support while the other gripped a shell. Kaylee was despondent. She howled to the softly glowing rocks, slunk along side her trainer, head to the ground, whimpering.

Bree picked up the Herdier, hefted up the dog and held her close. "I'm sorry, Kaylee," she murmured into sleek fur, "But Simon...I don't think I would have been able to take care of him. And he deserves to be with his family..."

Her halfhearted words did little to assauge Kaylee, and the pokemon lept out of Bree's arms, turning to face the trainer while yelping in loud barks. _Please!_ the pokemon pleaded,_ Please don't leave me, I wanna be with you!_

_Yeah,_ Eve chimed in. _Humans are cool and they make all sorts of really fun things, and I wanna see them! You're more awesome than back in my old nest before the fire mountain blocked the sky._

Kazumi squeezed her trainer's hand. _Please. We don't want to go._

Bree nodded. She shoved aside the part of her mind (a rather large part) that wondered if she did the right thing. Because Simon...As much as she wanted him to stay...He'd be better off with his family, in his home. But if her pokemon wanted to stay...

She shouted. "Yeah! We're a team, and I'm never going to let you leave! Let's show N that people and pokemon can work well together!"

Kaylee's paws flew along the rocky ground; her barks echoed off the charged stones. Bree knew that her pokemon was merely barking a challenge, but the Plasma grunt she collided into didn't know that.

Glaring at Bree, the Plasma grunt pushed fiery orange locks out of her eyes, bending down to a snarling Kaylee. "You poor Herdier. Why did your trainer make you scream?"

Pitching forward on the skidded stop, Bree watched as Eve tumbled off her head and thudded on the ground far away. "That's not why she shouted," she said while dashing towards Eve to scoop up the little Archen in her arms, "If you understood her, you'd know that!

"Impossible," the grunt muttered. "Unless..." Her brown eyes snapped up to Bree's, widened in understanding. "You're the one Lord N is so smitten with!"

Well, that got Bree's attention. Drawing herself up on her knees, she turned to look at the grunt. "What?"

The grunt blushed and actually giggled like a goddam smitten schoolgirl. "You didn't know? Our lord N has fallen in love with you! He blushes and smiles and sighs and when N becomes the champion, when we have liberate all pokemon from hurtful trainers, he will make you his queen."

No. No way the grunt could have said something like that, not in all seriousness. But her eyes were hard, her lips were set. She meant it. Bree gagged, loudly, a revolted shudder running along her spine. That weirdo? And he wanted to...Ugh! Ugh ugh ugh! Never mind how handsome he was getting, or the few good points he made (why was she considering this!) for him to force her to..."Become his queen" or however he wanted to dress it up...

She shouted, "You can't force anybody to do anything!" Her voice rung high and sharp around the cave. "Don't you see? That's what your problem is; you're making people do whatever you want them to do without listening to them!"

A high-pitched squawk interrupted Bree's rant; she turned around to find a second and third Plasma grunt grab Eve and, ignoring her flailing stiff wings and sharp claws, tied the little bird's wings to her sides.

"Eve!" Before she could take more than a few steps, a fourth grunt joined; all four released their pokemon and made for Bree's. Before she knew it, Bree, Kazumi, and Kaylee were surrounded by about a dozen pokemon, and the grunt who had taken Eve was getting away.

"No! Please! Not Eve too!" Forcing her way past the press of pokemon, yelping when something dug into the back of her hand, Bree struggled to reach the grunt who had captured her Archen. And then, when she was halfway there, Bree realized that she had left her other two pokemon alone to face the brunt of Team Plasma's attacks.

Her face went slack in horror; images of her two pokemon, left alone for mere moments, snatched up by Team Plasma by her negligence, raced through her mind. Hearing loud, low barking and a shrill scream, Bree stood in her tracks, paralyzed by horrified indecision, until she turned around.

A large, ferocious Stoutland-Kaylee, Bree realized, Kaylee fully evolved-charged straight into the pokemon facing her, bodily smashing them out of the way, creating her own path. Riding Kaylee's back, shells drawn and flashing, was Kazumi. Screaming a battle cry at the top of her lungs, the Dewott hacked and slashed and occasionally flung her curved shell blades, picking them up off from the now knocked-out foe as Kaylee raced by again. Bree was fairly sure that the battle cry her samurai otter now roared at the top of her lungs was not, "Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!" but it was funnier to pretend that it was.

Not to say that Bree was shirking her part in this fight. With a shout of, "Go get 'em, girls!" she ran for the last grunt, the one with a struggling Eve in his arms. Catching up to the man, with a powerful kick she swung up her thick boot to smash between his legs. With a high-pitched wordless shriek of agony, the grunt dropped the tied-up Archen in his arms; Eve landed head-first on the ground. Bree untied the ropes; Eve chirped a thanks, then joined the fray. Nimbly hopping and gliding from head to head, stone to stone, deftly attacking so quickly that her limbs were a blur, Eve was a natural acrobat.

But. But there were only three of Bree's pokemon, and Team Plasma's numbered a dozen and growing. Even now, more grunts and more of their pokemon were showing up almost as quickly as Bree and her partners were able to put them down. Only a matter of time before they were overrun by sheer numbers...

A Watchog's eyes widened in shock; seconds later he was flung into the wall by an invisible force. Kazumi glanced down at Kaylee, then at Bree, saying, _I didn't do it_. They turned around to see Munny, Bianca's Musharna, floating in the air-Bianca stood bravely by her pokemon's side.

Two green vines snaked from behind her orange stockings to wrap around a particularly jagged stone. Dashing out from behind his trainer's legs, Corn slingshotted himself into a particularly shocked Sandile. Porkchop, a high-velocity ball of flames and hair, rolled off a cliff above and into another group of pokemon. River, clearly about to evolve, fought alongside Kaylee and Kazumi.

Bianca's voice rang out clear and sharp above the pokemons' battle cries. "Go, Bree! You need to get to N? Professor Juniper's coming; we'll make sure you get to him safely!"

Bree gave a big smile and a wave. Bianca had matured so much since they had left Nuvema three months ago. "You got it, Bianca," she said. "Kaylee! Kazumi! Eve!" The pokemon looked up from their fight. "Let's go!"

"Wait!" Bianca ran over. "Bree, your hand, you're bleeding!"

Sure enough, Bree looked down to see her right hand covered in blood. And now that she had noticed, her hand decided to begin throbbing with the beginnings of pain. How the hell had this happened? _...Ugh, please don't let it be a Sandile or Krokorok bite_, she thought, clutching her hand with a grimace while a stuttering Bianca searched for a bandage and potion. Bites from those pokemon were notoriously likely to end up infected.

"Here we go," Bianca said, holding up a small purple spray bottle. Bree frowned, uncertain. Would potions for pokemon work on people? Cheren would know, but he was on the train, not in Chargestone Cave. Dammit, she should have paid more attention to class, not to mention getting human first aid supplies. Ah well, not like it would hurt any. Bree took the bottle from her friend and sprayed it on the wounds, wincing at the sting. Then Bianca took out a roll of clean white gauze and wound it around her friend's hand; red seeped through several layers before finally stopping.

Her hand bandaged, Bree thanked Bianca with a hug, then ran deeper into the cave with her pokemon. They paused to knock out any Team Plasma members foolish enough to stand in their way, but otherwise taking no other detours.

* * *

Once Simon started speaking, he didn't stop until nearly twenty minutes later.

He talked about the first trainer, a serious youth with cropped blue hair, who had caught a young Simon when he had strayed too far from his nest. He talked about the ten months spent with the trainer, named Ohs-Ten, and his Swoobat, a playful easy-going pokemon. He talked about his slowly-growing respect for his trainer, and Ohsten's respect for him in return.

Then Simon's topic shifted to the arrival of Team Plasma, and how Ohsten had fought, but lost. Though the blue-haired trainer was able to save his Swoobat, Simon was taken by Team Plasma. Looking at their uniforms, hearing their talk about pokemon liberation, the Drilbur thought-hoped-that he would be reunited with his family, in his old home.

Imagine his surprise when Team Plasma had left him in a tiny cavern with muddy ground and puddles everywhere, a dank place with no dry ground, no dirt to dig stable tunnels in. No place to eat. No place for a Drilbur, especially a young Drilbur to live.

But he was lost, far from home, with no clue how to get there. Separated by two wide rivers, miles of land, and several cities, Simon might as well have been on a different planet, on the grey orb that hung untethered in the inky night sky. And there he had stayed, scraping muddy earth that filled with water the moment he bored through it, scratching for food, struggling to survive.

And then a frantic Lillipup who called herself Kae-Lee had charged into his territory. Her brown eyes frantic, she began spouting something about people called, "Teem Plazz-Mah," who wanted to take her away from her human, Bree, and her friend, an Oshawott who the human had called Kah-Zoo-Mee. And then there was another, a black-haired human who was with Bree. Named Sheh-Ren, he was in the same kind of trouble.

The Drilbur remembered the pain on Ohsten's face, remembered just who it was that had left him in the cave to die. He didn't need to be told twice. And after the battle, Bree had asked if he wanted to travel with her, and he readily agreed. And so they set off, Bree with a new pokemon, Drilbur with a new Trainer and a name of Sai-Men.

And they had traveled for months with his pokemon partners and Bree's human partners of Shehren and Bee-Ahn-Kah, and he had seen so many new places and pokemon. And they had met the mystery known as Enn, who claimed to be the leader of Plazzmah. Who, though obviously of egg-bearing age and obviously trying to court Bree, smelled and behaved much like a newly-hatched, utterly oblivious of the ways of the world. And this whole time Simon had grown stronger, so much stronger. When a new pokemon, a tiny lizard-like bird named Eev-ah who couldn't fly, joined them, they felt unstoppable.

He talked about their places on the team. Bree, the optimistic but rash leader. Kahzoomee the Dewott, the designated mother and protective second-in-command, Kaelee, the effervescent, eager-to-please Herdier who was quite likely courting him, Eevah the Archen, a young, inquisitive child of a pokemon, yet deceptively powerful. And then him. Saimen. Quiet. Laconic. Explosive if you pressed the right (wrong) buttons. Powerful, extremely so in the right situation. A vital teammate.

And Bree had let him go, Simon finished. She had set him free, like Plasma preached. But she did it right, liberated him in his home. She did it so he could survive. Because she didn't know if she could care for him.

But, as Simon was speaking, it began to dawn on him that despite her misgivings, Bree was certainly capable of caring for him. And as he spoke, he remembered Bree's tearing eyes as she told him to go home, Kazumi and Eve's despondent looks, Kaylee's grief-filled howl. He remembered the painful constriction in his chest, the hollow dull sense of loss that he still had. And he realized,

_"What am I doing? What am I thinking?"_

Simon's parents were understanding. They always were, they always would be.

_"Son...If this is what you want..."_

_"Go."_

Hollering in joy, Simon dove underground, digging as fast as he could to catch up to Bree. To his trainer. But as he dug, a horrible truth began to dawn on him.

Chargestone Cave was big. Chargestone Cave was huge. To find Bree, to catch onto and trace and track her echoing footsteps, distinctive as they may be, to find Bree before she left the cave and was lost to him forever...

...He couldn't do it. Not like this, Simon realized even as he dug as fast as he possibly could; he couldn't dig quickly enough; no Drilbur could.

He wouldn't be able to find Bree in time.

* * *

N stroked the pokemon's head and body. "Thank you. I promise that with your help nobody will hurt your children again."

Bree rounded the corner, zapping pain flashing up her arm as she grabbed a rock to steady herself, to see something large, yellow, and hairy get sucked into a pokeball. She saw N stand up; she shouted first. "You!"

He came to her with a smile, though the expression in his eyes was inscrutable. "So you made it past all my loyal servants. I knew you could, I-" He trailed off, his gaze falling to her heavily-bandaged hand. "You're hurt!"

"N, I," she started. But what good was it to deny this; she was obviously injured. And now N stepped forward, holding her injury in surprisingly soft, comforting hands. She flinched and made to draw it back when the movement chafed on the cuts and made her visibly wince.

"Ssh," N said, as if comforting a wounded and scared pokemon. "It's okay. Just...Please, Bree, let me see it. So I can make it better."

Gently, the young "king" unwound the badges and let them fall to the ground. The smell of drying blood filled the air. He looked at Bree apologetically as he took rubbing alcohol, a tube of topical antibacterial cream, and gauze out of his bag. "I'm sorry, but...This is gonna sting a bit. But Bree, I promise that the hurt will go away, and it'll make you feel better. Okay?"

Teary-eyed, she nodded without fully understanding why. N, the enigma. As much as his fancies of pokemon "liberation" and making her his "queen" scared them, she couldn't help but shake the sense that his intentions were good. That he didn't fully understand what he was doing.

That he wasn't the real threat.

"Okay then," N said, pouring the alcohol onto the gauze and gently cleaning the wound. He reflexively stroked her face when she whimpered; his touches were like lightning to her and his fingers burned on the smoothness of her face.

And then the jabbing piercing sting of the alcohol was replaced by cool relief of the salve that N carefully smeared over the cut, finally wrapping her wounded hand in gauze and pinning the bandage in place. He placed his hands on his hips and regarded his work with a smile. "That should do it," he said as Bree flexed her hand experimentally. N did do a good job, she admitted to herself. Even now, it hurt less.

She looked up to thank him, only to see that N was now staring unabashedly at the front of her pants. Blushing furiously, Bree opened her mouth to make a loud protest when she realized that his gray-green eyes were actually locked on the three pokeballs firmly attached to her waist.

"...You had four," he said finally. "And now there are three?"

A broken smile from Bree as she wiped a tear away. She said, "Simon. You were...You were right N. This time, at least. Simon...I couldn't take care of him. And I found his parents. So I," she sniffled, drying her eyes on the sleeve of her light black sweater, "So I let him go. And be with his family, in his home."

In contrast to Bree's, N's smile was wide and genuine. He threw his arms around her, didn't notice how she stiffened and struggled to be freed from his grip. "That's wonderful, Bree," he all but cried into her shoulder, "I'm so glad you learned that your pokemon should be free and happy." He looked down at her belt again. "...So why are you still enslaving the others?"

She pushed him off; she stepped away. "N, I only let Simon go because I was able to reunite him with his family! My other pokemon want to be with me; they told me so!"

"But...But..." Clutching his head, shaking it back and forth, N let out a guttural shout of frustration before the full force of her words made themselves realized. "You can understand them too?" He looked up, eyes full of hope. "Then...You really may be..."

And now he was scaring her again, with all the talk about being his "queen" that was sure to come out in just a moment. So, she beat him to the punch. "N, I'm not about to become the so-called queen of Team Plasma, so get that out of your head right now, you creep!"

N actually pulled his hair and stomped the ground like an impudent child; his face contorted, he threw a fit. "Aaargh! Stop it, stop it! Stop being gray!" She opened her mouth when N, in his tantrum, explained it for her. "Stop being the hero who is nice to pokemon and understands them like me and makes me feel all funny inside and at the same time a meanie who keeps them in cages all the time! You'll see, I'm gonna separate pokemon and people, and then black and white will be distinct again! Everything's gonna be one or the other, just like in math, all nice and orderly, and then pokemon can be perfect!" When he looked at Bree again, his expression was fixed, determined. "That is my dream. And I'm gonna make it a reality."

A fight was inevitable at this point. Crouched into a battle stance, hands gripping a pokeball, Bree retorted, "Yeah, well then my dream is to show you that people and pokemon belong together!"

Shadows across N's face as he sighed. "Eh...I guess...I'm sorry, but I'll have to crush you here! Ferroseed!" The spiked, plated pokemon rolled towards Bree when she released Eve; the Archen dove off a rock above, claws extended in an attack.

Ferroseed's shell was stiff, and barely even dented from the full force of the little raptor's attack. They tussled, Eve trying to pull off the metal armor to attack the vulnerable grass-type within, Ferroseed slamming his thorns into Eve's wings and body again and again.

Eve finally pried open a part of the shell and defeated the Ferroseed, but she completely wore herself out in the process. The Archen lay panting on the ground, feathers bedgraggled and falling out in places when N wordlessly released a Klink.

Gears rotating at blinding speed, the Klink raced towards Eve when Bree shouted, "Get back!" and released Kazumi. Before either human could give a command, the Dewott wedged her shell-the one that had been scratched in the fight with Clay's Excadrill the day before between the two rotating cogs. The gears ground helplessly against the shell, making a horrible screeching sound. Then the scratched shell splintered and shattered against the force of the Klink, sharp shards scattering all over the ground.

N closed his mouth eventually. It took several more seconds for him to properly speak. "Your Dewott...She protected Archen..."

"Exactly. See? We work together, and we help protect each other!" Bree looked at her beloved Dewott, who stared at the broken shell blade in her paw. "Kazumi, you okay?"

She nodded, her mouth set in a grim line of determination. _I'll be fine, Bree. It grows back_. She turned back to the Klink, who was still shaking the shell fragments off of itself. _Think I'm crippled in battle now? Behold!_

Screaming a challenge that echoed throughout the cave, gripping the one remaining shell blade like a double-handed sword, Kazumi charged the Klink. In less than two minutes, she had all but dismantled the steel-type before N's eyes. With a bitten-back curse, the boy king called out his Boldore, confident that his tough armor was sturdy enough to withstand the otter's slicing attacks.

Kazumi defeated Boldore almost as easily as she defeated Klink.

At this point Bree was feeling confident to the point of being overly so, and N was about to throw a full-blown temper tantrum in the middle of Chargestone Cave. "My friends getting hurt, that's what a battle is," he whined. "But I'll show you just how much I love my friends. Behold!" He tossed out the last pokeball; the pokemon within was released with a blinding light that just as quickly vanished.  
The giant, hairy, blue-and-yellow spider that Bree's pokedex identified as a Galvantula was as large as Kaylee was. Its feelers and fangs and eight beady eyes almost comically huge, the giant spider sparked some instinctive fear in Bree, even though she liked bugs.

"The Shadow Triad found Galvantuala," N said as the spider hissed, "And brought her to me; she says that mean people hurt her babies and that only I could make them stop! So I'm gonna make you stop! Watch me!"

"Not if I can help it! Kazumi?" Shell swinging, teeth bared, Kazumi rushed the Galvantula even while the electric spider stood stock-still, static jumping from hair to hair and getting stronger...

Her howl of agony from the full force of the gigantic lightning bolt aimed straight at her chest echoed around the cave. Kazumi dropped to the floor.

"Kazumi!" Bree ran forward, scooped up her limp pokemon in her arms. A split second dragged on forever, when the Dewott coughed and groaned.

Tears welling in her eyes, Bree held her pokemon close. "Oh, Kazumi..."

Two green shoes appeared in Bree's vision. Bending down, N ruffled Kazumi's fur. "I'm sorry," he cried, horrified by what had just happened. "I didn't think the attack would be so strong!" He checked her over, felt for her pulse. "She'll be okay," he said. "But see? This is why people and pokemon should be separated! Our battles just make them get hurt! If you were a hero like I think you are, you'd let your pokemon go now!"

Before Bree could answer, Kazumi responded with a snarl. Bree's bright blue eyes hardened. "You're right, Kazumi," she said. "N! You think I'm done now? Let's finish this! Kaylee!"

The Stoutland materialized with a growl and bark, her luxurious mustache trailing on the ground. N couldn't help but twitch a smile at the sight of her well-groomed fur, but then he was all business. "Thunder, Galvantula...But please...Please don't kill her..."

Kaylee charged head-on into Galvantula, knocking the spider off her feet. But the large, faithful dog was just gearing up for another powerful attack when a wicked thunderbolt once again crashed into her, sending her flying. Kaylee stood up, but slowly, on shaking feet.

At this point, Bree realized with growing horror that she was going to lose. She was going to lose to N and then he would take her pokemon and Team Plasma would take her pokemon, and they'd set them loose in places where they couldn't survive. And then N, poor delusional N, he'd take her hostage, and he'd force her to be his "Queen," and she'd never see her friends or her pokemon again, and they'd be forced to be separated from their pokemon too, and Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad would probably kill her when N wasn't looking...

She was going to lose.

For a crazy moment, Bree considered hurling herself in the path of the thunder attack, protect Kaylee from the blast. But it would probably kill her in the process. But...Probably. She needed to protect Kaylee, show N that people and pokemon did care for each other. But to kill her...

Bree's knees buckled; whether to leap or to run, she would never know. Because the wicked giant bolt of lightning, so powerful that the ground rumbled under it, was already making its way towards Kaylee, who was still growing used to her new bulk, wasn't fast enough to dodge, could only helplessly watch as the knockout blow raced towards her...

Like water shooting from a geyser, three sharp prongs of living steel burst from the ground. Claws snagged the lightning, drawing it away from the very surprised Stoutland.

An Excadrill, its body taut and muscular, its claws so sharp and shiny that they gleamed like new razors, erupted from the earth, shielding Kaylee with himself. He pointed to the Galvantula and growled, the deep rumbling of a far-off landslide._ No hard feelings, old mother of the cave spiders. But I won't let you harm my friends._

That voice...That stance...No way. "Simon?"

The Excadrill turned back to Bree and nodded. _You're my friends, my third family. And we stick together. Now,_ he said, turning back to N, who had collapsed to the ground in shock, _Let ME show you the bonds between Trainer and Pokemon!_

N ordered Galvantula to fire off bolt after bolt at Simon, but the Excadrill merely channeled the powerful lightning through his metal claws and discharged it all into the ground. Scorched earth marking his path, Simon finally threw his full weight onto the giant spider, his sharp claws and natural steel helmet gouging cuts into the Galvantula, eventually bringing it down.

N shouted, "No! No! That can't happen!"

"Newsflash, N. It just did."

He withdrew the pokemon, said in a petulant tone, "Hmph. As if these battles actually matter. As if they could make me worthy to be friends with the legendary pokemon!"

Bree didn't notice N's temper tantrum, as she was too busy hugging Simon with the rest of her pokemon.

"Bree!" Bianca's voice, heard before she was seen, got her attention. "Just a little further to Mistralton," she huffed and puffed to Professor Juniper, who was running along not far behind her.

"Bianca, you have good ears to hear them so far away," the professor said. "So Bree, this young man with the green hair is N?" As she said the one-letter name, a strange look flashed across Professor Juniper's face before she quickly locked it away.

N glared at the professor, at this new target. "Professor," he whined, "what are you thinking? Don't you have any qualms about the relationship between people and pokemon at all? You put pokemon into categories using arbitrary rules and think you can understand them that way...The very idea of a pokedex revolts me. You make me sick!"

She drew back, silencing Bianca, who was about to challenge N right then and there. "Well," the professor said, "I guess you're not my biggest fan. But you're free to have your own opinion." Bree couldn't help but notice the way the professor spoke-in slow, measured, even tones, her hands held out in a non-threatening gesture. It was like she was trying to placate an injured, frenzied pokemon. "How about if all people get to decide for themselves how to relate to pokemon?"

And like a wounded creature, N lashed out. "You're saying that I should just allow people to think whatever they want and treat pokemon however they want, no matter how much pokemon suffer? No! Nuh-uh! I refuse to tolerate a world like that, and I refuse to tolerate anyone who thinks that way!"

"N," Bree said, even though she knew it was a bad idea to intervene, "You can't make people do whatever you want them to do!"

"Yes I can! I can and I will! And you!" He stomped the ground, pointed at Bree. "How can you be so nice and so mean to pokemon? And why did your Drilbur come back as an Excadrill!"

Simon looked at N, at the human who acted so much like a newly-hatched, who didn't know how to bend and sway, but would crack open instead. _I returned to Bree because I wanted to. Bree is a good Trainer. She cares about us. Austin cared about me too. People and pokemon care about each other. We are together because we want to be. You think you care about pokemon, but you are only hurting us._

"But I...I..." Something splintered in N, clearly fractured across his face. It was as if Simon had asked him to divide by zero, or count to infinity. "Aaaaugghh!" Fists tearing into green hair, flailing against empty air, N ran screaming out of the cave.

The three women gave the exit of the cave a worrying glance. Bianca spoke first. "...Is he gonna be okay?"

Juniper shook her head. "I...I hope so. I hope he'll spend some time trying to understand how others feel. That's probably the first step towards healing for him." She hugged Bree. "I'm going to go collect a little more data. You call your mom, okay?" With that, she left.

Still hugging Simon, Bree gave a brief summary of what happened to Bianca. The only way her spacey best friend could respond was to give a crushing hug to the Excadrill, who at this point was pinned underneath five females, human and pokemon.

"Did you mean what you said?" Bree asked Simon. Kaylee jumped up on him, excitedly wagging her tail and licking his face.

Simon shrugged, as well as he could underneath so many embraces. _Yes. I know you will be able to care for me. We are a team, all of us. We work together. That is how we become strong. That is how we become perfect. Please do not doubt yourself again._

"I won't," she promised. "I'll never leave any of you behind again."

By the time they exited the cave and entered Mistralton proper, where Cheren was waiting-all impatient looks, tapping feet, and meaningful glances to his fancy watch-it was long past midnight.

* * *

A/N: Allow me to say this first: SIIIIIMOOOONNNN YOU ARE AWESOME SIMON! This guy turned into a complete and total badass and I so did not intend for him to be so badass when I started writing him!

And as for badass...Who else here likes the mental image of a Dewott going samurai on a bunch of Team Plasma asses, riding the back of a Stoutland like a mount? Is that an awesome mental image? I think it's an awesome mental image!

Now for N...Do you like how I portrayed him here? Looking at his dialogue in this part of the game, I couldn't help but get the feeling that he was so rigid in his beliefs that instead of bending, he was starting to crack...

And what about the Shadow Triad and the Galvantula...? And I'm sure the name Austin isn't entirely unfamiliar! :P


	22. And Yet I Lived Your Future Out

Hey everyone! Thanks for reading the previous chapter; I liked it but I didn't know you'd like it so much!

Anywho, this chapter is shorter and more of a transition, but I hope you like it as well. And yep, I should be able to update twice a week, at least for the next month. Yay!

So, let's stop dallying and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Like the falling browning leaves around them or the gradually chilling air, Bree didn't notice the change until after it had come and gone. It wasn't until a few days later that she truly realized it. Like N, Bree could understand her pokemon.

And not the interpretation and approximation of body language, the game of charades and, "What is it, Herdier? Timmy's in a well?" that every other trainer played with their pokemon. No. Bree could truly understand. She understood Kaylee's barks and Eve's chirps, Kazumi's shouts and Simon's growls, just as they could understand her in turn. But it didn't make any sense. Why would she be able to understand the language of pokemon while her friends, who cared for them just as deeply, couldn't? It wasn't like she was some "super speshul snowflake" Mary-Sue character of a crappy fanfic, so what could be the reason behind this?

Bewildered, Bree asked Cheren if he had any answers. His theory, shared over late-night leftovers of dessert while Bianca slept, was quite interesting.

"Hm," he had mused, pushing away the finished plate of cheesecake and lacing together his slim fingers behind his head, "Well, humans learn language through extended exposure early in life; second and third languages never come so easily as the first. Incidentally, if a person doesn't learn to speak-I mean speak in terms of human speech-within the first few years of life, they may never learn to speak at all. But Bree, it sounds like...That may be it." Cheren's eyes widened behind his glasses. "Hey, remember that summer when we were eight and I spent the first month or so of it with my parents visiting relatives in Kanto?" Bree nodded; she still had the alarm clock that he had gotten her as a souvenir and birthday gift, and the stack of manga that he had brought back was how the three of them got into the genre in the first place.

Cheren continued, "Well, my father had taught me Japanese, but I hadn't spoken it in several years, so I was quite rusty. When I actually met my cousins in Saffron, I felt humiliated and out of place by my complete inability to understand what they said to each other. Laugh if you want, but I was somewhat paranoid that they were talking about me to my face, insulting me in a language I couldn't understand. But, by the end of the trip, I had regained my fluency from exposure to the second language that my father had taught me years ago but I had forgotten."

Bree pushed around the last bit of her pecan pie on the plate. "...So what you're saying is that I used to know how to speak pokemon, but then forgot? And now I'm remembering again because I'm a trainer and I'm with my pokemon all the time?"

Cheren shrugged. "Perhaps. But this is mere speculation, conjecture at best. I wouldn't worry about it too much when we have far more pressing issues at hand. Like defeating Skyla, or pounding some sense into N." After Bree had explained the mess that was her trip through Chargestone Cave, they had come to the conclusion that a) Team Plasma was actually dangerous, b) The Shadow Triad were extremely dangerous and would probably do the world a benefit by dying in a fire, and c) N was definitely creepy and there was something very wrong with him, of those two conclusions there were no doubts, but his heart seemed to be in the right place-was he really the true threat?

She walked over and put the dirty dishes into the little sink that came with the suite, hopped into her bed and rolled under the covers in one movement. "You're right Cheren. One goal at a time, and our next is the Jet Badge!" She clicked off the little lamp light. "Night."

Of course, even if Skyla wasn't on vacation at the time, and even if they weren't at the bottom of a very long waiting list to challenge her, Bree and her friends weren't prepared to fight the Mistralton gym leader. Kazumi's broken shell needed to grow back, and both Kaylee and Simon needed to adjust to the added bulk of their evolved forms. Cheren, meanwhile, was not only trying to decide on a new addition to his team, but was also waiting for a special on leaf stones to give to Bianca; he wanted Marina to evolve before the fight, but more importantly he wanted to see the look on Bianca's face when he gave her the leaf stone (even though he would never admit it out loud and especially not to her, not even if you inflicted all of Arty's creative threats on him at once).

Colorful autumn began to chill and brown. With Bianca's nurture and love, River too evolved into a regal Stoutland. Soon after, Joralemon responded to Cheren's beliefs in strength and his pokemons' strength, and became a large Unfezant, proudly displaying his vibrant plumage to the Tranquill on Route 7. That was not to say that Bree's pokemon didn't grow either. Kaylee and Simon quickly grew used to their added weight, and spent much of their time racing each other in digging contests and the like. Eve, on the brink of evolving, was now able to glide several hundred feet and attack at the same time. But while Cheren and Bianca's starters, Julian and Porkchop respectively, were also showing signs of getting ready to evolve, Kazumi remained much the same as she did since all the way back in Nacrene, when she first became a Dewott after defeating N at the cafe. Bree eventually sat down with the otter to ask why this was so.

Kazumi fussed with her regrowing shell, meticulously polishing and repolishing it. _Because,_ she chirruped,_ It's different, being a Samurott from a Dewott. Much different than being a Dewott from an Oshawott._

Bree nodded. She had seen pictures, read entries. Her little otter would become large enough to support her, would change from a bipedal to a largely quadrupedal one. Her weight would dramatically increase too. The Dewott-Samurott evolution was, according to the evolutionary expert Professor Rowan, one of the more radical ones in terms of magnitude of the shift (though few could compare to the evolutions of Dragonair to Dragonite, or Magikarp to Gyarados). It stood to reason that Kazumi would be nervous of the impending change.

Which is why Bree pulled her pokemon into a hug and said, "Don't worry, Kazumi. I promise that you don't have to evolve until you're completely ready for it. And I'll help and support you no matter what you decide to do."

So Bree spent time with her friends, trained with her pokemon, helped Eve to glide faster and farther, Simon and Kaylee to dig and run with more efficiency, Kazumi to prepare for her eventual evolution. Cheren, realizing that he'd need another pokemon to truly be ready to take on Skyla, took a day trip to Twist Mountain while his two female friends were having a, "Girls' day out, no offense Cheren, no, seriously; besides, you said you needed to catch another pokemon right?" that ended up mostly being spent watching the nomadic herds of Zebstrika migrate to their winter feeding grounds. Their overachieveing friend came back late that night with a scraped elbow, a torn sleeve in his jacket that he would not stop griping about even when handing it over to a tailor to be fixed, and a formidable Boldore named Ozymandias.

This whole time, the Celestial Tower rose in the distance, a stoic memorial to pokemon lost. Including Eric. It was late November before Bree could bring herself to go inside.

* * *

Thankfully when N had told the worried strangers that he had cut himself shaving, they had believed him.

He had screwed up. Badly. The Shadow Triad had given him such a gift by helping him find the Galvantula, and he had come so close to defeating Bree and making her his Queen, and he had squandered it! The Shadow Triad and Ghetsis had been so angry...Ghetsis was right. He had been bad. And bad boys, even Kings, deserved to be punished. Even if Epsilon was hungry and so had gone a little...Overboard.

The scratches on his face had healed well, but one particularly deep slash on his upper arm that had utterly ruined both of his shirts was still discolored three weeks after the punishment and would probably scar.

Fa-Ghetsis loved him, and that's why he punished him. Because anything less than perfection deserved to be punished. And Epsilon didn't mean to punish him so badly; he remembered how Zero had restrained the other member of the Shadow Triad and Ghetsis was actually upset when he found the bleeding boy, and had yelled, "You idiot, you could have killed him!" to Epsilon, and helped to clean N's wounds. And then Epsilon had hissed an apology the next day.

So no, Ghetsis was right, no matter what the imperfect, evil parts of his mind whispered to him. Ghetsis wanted him to succeed, and that's why he had to be punished for failure.

N shook his head and pushed the thoughts out of his mind. Glancing up at the Celestial Tower that stood tall before him, he once again tried to steel himself to go inside, to comfort the spirits of poor pokemon that had died because of their "trainers"...

Except that now he wasn't too sure what he'd find in there. Not after all the people and pokemon who cared for each other. Not after Bianca, whose pokemon supported her even though they'd never be perfect around her. Not after Cheren, who regularly pushed his pokemon to the brink, yet still held their trust and respect. Not after Bree.

Seeing pokemon killed in battle, dead at the hands of abusive trainers, he could deal with that. It would rip his heart out and stomp it on the ground, but he could endure it. But N didn't know what he'd find in there, not now, not after being shown contradiction after contradiction, not with the words of Bree's pokemon still echoing in his ears.

And that he couldn't handle.

But...At the same time, he wanted to know more. Needed to know more. So, with a deep breath and heavy sigh, N opened the large oaken doors and stepped inside.

It wasn't what he was expecting. Then again, he wasn't too sure what to expect. But whatever it was, it wasn't this. The inside of the tower was ornate, but in an understated, modest way that was respectful and not gaudy. People of all ages, trainers with pokemon by their sides, paid their respects to departed partners. And they meant it, he realized with a strange painful feeling. At the counter, Bree, with Cheren and Bianca by her side, purchased some memorial incense.

N gasped and hid himself into a crowd before they spotted him. Peering around peoples' heads, he watched the three of them go upstairs. Bree? What was she doing here?

After a moment's hesitation, he followed, making sure to stay out of sight but close enough to listen.

* * *

"Thanks for coming, guys."

"Hey, it's not problem." Bianca hugged her friend, as did Cheren. "We know you needed us to be here too."

"And why wouldn't we? Even if you weren't our friend, Eric was a great pokemon," Cheren added.

"Thanks...Hard to believe it's been four years...Don't worry, guys. I'll be fine."

After several minutes of hiking, they made it to Eric's grave. Kneeling on the marbled tile, Bree read the carved marker to herself.

Eric had saved her life. She didn't remember the details, as she couldn't remember much of anything from before six years of age (which she knew was quite unusual), but she somehow knew that the Blitzle had saved her. And they were close, immensely so. Now that she thought about it, Bree remembered that she had been able to understand Eric as well, though the pokemon had never really talked much. Funnily enough, even when playing at being a pokemon trainer with her friends back in Nuvema, Bree had never seriously considered using Eric in actual gym battles. He hated fighting, and Bree could never push him like that.

Still, you never forgot your first pokemon. Tears welled in her eyes and slid down her face. Bree whispered, "Thank you."

The three stood there for some time, paid their respects. Then Cheren looked up to see the tail of flame-red hair turn the corner.

"Is that..." He took off his glasses and rubbed his navy blue eyes in disbelief. "No way. What's he doing here?"

The two girls looked at him. "Who?"

"I think that was Champion Alder." He stood up and made to go after him.

Bree tried to stop him, saying, "Wait, he should have his privacy," but Cheren had already ran after Alder. She looked at a wryly smiling Bianca with a sigh.

A strange humming sound morphed into a voice, so soft and shadowy as to be wrathlike. _I'll bet he does that all the time._

Bree slowly turned around to see two little Litwicks, clear bubble-like domes encasing the open violet flames on their waxlike heads, staring up at her. She tapped Bianca on the shoulder.

"Aww," she squealed, "They're so cute! Except...Ah! Litwicks! Aren't they the ones that go dementor on you or something?"

Everyone knew this rumor, had seen "Die in a Chandelure's fire!" posted online; everyone knew the tales and scary stories told by children with flashlights at sleepovers. The three of them had shared the stories themselves, shared in giggles and delighted screams (Bree still remembered that delightfully terrifying story that the normally stoic Cheren had told about a trainer from Kanto and his ghost pokemon whose curses not only affected both human and pokemon alike but also actually killed). But the truth? It was certainly a common misconception, but... Shaking her head, Bree took out a flier that she had been handed upon going inside. "No, that's an old myth or something. Hang on, this flier explains it." Positioning the leaflet so they could both see it, Bree read it out loud.

The notice said the following:

_ATTENTION!_

_It is currently Litwick breeding season at the Celestial Tower. These inquisitive ghost/fire type pokemon are not malevolent, contrary to popular culture, but they are dangerous!_

_Litwicks release radiation from the open flames on their heads. They cannot control this. Although this radiation is not especially dangerous to pokemon unless present in large quantities, it only takes a relatively small dose in comparison to sicken a human. Radiation can kill. Precautions must be taken around Litwicks:_

_All the Litwicks in the Celestial Tower are captured, tagged, and capped with a device that mimicks the natural shield found on its evolution and safely contains the radiation. These caps are not harmful to the Litwicks, and still allow them to battle. If you find an uncapped Litwick, remove yourself from the area and notify an employee._

_Litwicks are curious and enjoy exploring. Do not follow an uncapped Litwick._

_Trainers may capture capped Litwicks if they so wish, as long as they do not cause any property damage. Upon evolving into Lampent and Chandelure, the radiation released gets stronger, but the pokemon grows a natural cap and therefore can control its release._

_Litwicks are extremely difficult to properly care for and should be raised by experienced trainers only! ALL MEMBERS OF THE LITWICK LINE MUST BE REGISTERED INTO THE DANGEROUS POKEMON LISTING. The applications may be obtained at a local pokemon center._

"Huh." Bianca looked over the flier again. "I didn't know that."

Bree looked back down at the Litwicks. "And yeah, Cheren would definitely do something like what he just did."

The Litwick blinked. _...You understand me?_

A slow nod. Strange though. She could understand the older Litwick, albeit with some difficulty, but not the younger, smaller one. And while Bree knew what her four pokemon were saying to her, but she could barely understand her friends'. And she couldn't understand wild pokemon, or the pokemon of other trainers, at all. At least, not yet (and if you had asked why she was so certain, she couldn't give an answer).

Warmth kissed her outstretched open palm; Bree looked down to see the Litwick gazing up, yellow eyes imploring something. The little candle-esque pokemon hummed, indicated the other Litwick behind him with a flick of his flame. _Can you..My friend, she was capped and she hates the cap. Is it true that once we evolve, we won't need the caps anymore? _Bree nodded, and the pokemon jumped, or more accurately, hopped. _Then may we travel with you, so we can evolve? It is extremely rare for one of us to evolve here, but when traveling with a trainer...I would let her go alone, but I want to make sure she's safe...Besides, I would like to know more about this human who knows the language of pokemon._

Ha! In your face, N! But there was a bit of a problem. "I don't think I can take care of two Litwicks. Unless..." Behind Bree, her friend was busy musing on possible ways to decorate the clear caps. "Hey, Bianca?"

A short discussion later, the only thing left were names that everyone would be happy with. Bianca eventually came up with two good ones.

"Erik and Christine! Like from Phantom? Because Chandelures look like chandeliers and I haven't read the book but I've seen some pictures from the show and the chandelier's modeled a bit like a Chandelure?"

Bree gnawed her thumbnail. Erik. Like Eric. And she could understand the Litwick relatively well. And here, by Eric's grave.

She always regarded tales of the paranormal with skepticism, but this...

The Litwick shrugged. _Fine with me._

"Okay then." Two flashes of light, and the two Litwicks were sucked into the spheres. Bianca squealed over her newest pokemon, promising to introduce her to the rest of the team later that evening. The other ball rustled as Bree moved to clip it to her belt, so she released the pokemon within. "Erik?"

Erik glanced behind the grave at a small trapdoor. _Would the two of you follow me? I want to show you something._

That "something" turned out to be up several flights of stairs, through a cramped, narrow tunnel, past a group of watching Elgyem, and up on the roof. The air was foggy, cold, and damp; it clung to Bree's skin and pierced its way within. At Eric's insistence, Bree looked up.

Before the two humans and the pokemon stood a large ornate bell, enclosed in a wooden scaffold, slightly rusted in places and dusty in others.

_The man named Alder gave the bell as a memorial years ago,_ Erik said,_ but the tower had no room for it then. It has remained here since. _

The bell elicited a strange attraction on the trainer; she wanted to go and touch it.

_Go on. Ring it._

Bree touched the cool metal of the bell, ran her fingers along the old thick rope, hesitated. "I don't know if I..."

"Bree." Bianca hadn't said much during the climb up, but clearly she had something important to say now. "I think you're meant to ring it."

A long pause. And then a whisper. "Okay." Her uncertain fingers closed around the knotted rope and gave it a tentative little tug.

The barely-audible _dink_ that emitted was pathetic, there really was no other word for it.

"Uh..."

"I think you have to do it harder."

Her eyes scanned the bell again. "But it's big! And heavy!"

"Then really yank it."

A tumult of thoughts tumbling over each other in her head, Bree sighed. She wrapped her arms around the rope and pulled with all her weight.

_Bong._

The bell rang for Eric.

_Bong._

The bell rang for all the departed pokemon in the tower.

_Bong._

The bell rang for all the people in the tower.

_Bong. _

The bell rang for all the people and all the pokemon. Who lived together, worked together, and played together. Who deserved to remain together.

The deep echoing ring, rich and reverberating in the soul, could be heard for miles.

* * *

Two days after Skyla returned from vacation, Cheren found a leaf stone for Bianca's Pansage. Bianca, overcome with happiness, had squealed in a near-ultrasonic pitch and hugged Cheren hard enough to nearly choke him.

This, coupled with the impulsive quick peck on his cheek, had left Cheren bright red and effectively speechless for several minutes.

Corn and Marina, now a Simisage and Simipour, napped under a tree, seemingly unaware of the frigid cold. Christine shivered and huddled under Bianca's blouse while Bree discussed a new battle strategy with her pokemon that involved Eve and Erik cooperating to create some sort of utterly kick-ass attack that involved shooting fire from the sky.

An older man with thinning light brown hair approached and said, "Are you Bree White, Cheren Shiro, and Bianca Noir?"

The three scrambled to attention, their pokemon instantly alert. Cheren spoke first, scowling as he glared at the man. "Who are you?"

Bree groaned inwardly. "Come on, as if N and those creepy ninjas weren't enough."

The older man smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm actually Dr. Juniper; Professor Juniper, the one who started you off on your journey, is my daughter."

Cheren swallowed, humiliated. "Really? I'm sorry I was rude."

"Say, who's that over there?" Bianca pointed to a woman with reddish-brown hair and a bomber jacket racing towards Dr. Juniper, waving her entire arm in a frantic, random fashion.

"Oh, that's Skyla, the gym leader here."

"Heya! Dr. Juniper, long time no see! How's it going? Lyn's doing well." The Mistralton leader's attention then fell on the three bemused teenagers watching. "Ooh, are you the three trainers from Nuvema that Elesa and Professor Juniper mentioned? The ones who are trying to become champion?"

"Yes. The future Unova champion, that's me," said Cheren.

Skyla bounced up and down on her heels. "Then you're going to be challenging me, right? Great, my gym is a blast! Ooh, but I've got to go now; Dr. Juniper and I have a meeting scheduled with Clay and Professor Juniper over lunch, so I'll see you tomorrow. Here," she said all in a rush, pressing identical packages into each trainer's hands, "You'll thank me for this later. Wish I could talk more but I'm running late, so bye now!" Before Bree could blink, Skyla had run off, Dr. Juniper not far behind her.

They stared at the packages.

"Well. And Bree, here I thought you were hasty."

"Yeah, but she gave us presents. I like her."

"What are we waiting for? Let's open them!"

So they did. And they stared at the identical gifts in their hands. Behind them, Eve played with the crumpled wrapping paper, tossing it in the air and shredding it.

Bree decided to be the one to ask the obvious question. "Why would Skyla give us helmets?"

* * *

A/N: Bree, why would Skyla give you and your friends helmets? ...You'll find out in the next chapter. XD

I hoped you liked this one. In my headcanon and the Alphabet Soup-verse, Litwicks and their evolutions are not soul-sucking monsters or "walking dementors," as Bianca put it, but they do release radiation, and as Litwicks they can't control it. I assumed that the presumed symptoms of spiritual drainage would actually be the wasting effects of radiation sickness, and with legends and stuff people got confused until Science! found the answer.

Because let's be honest, if Litwicks really WERE walking dementors, would ANYONE in their right minds train them, or especially let children around them?

Also, yes. Cheren did tell that hacked "Pokemon Black" creepypasta as a ghost story. I just got a mental image of an eight-year-old Bree, Cheren, and Bianca having a sleepover in one of their basements. And they're huddled up in their sleeping bags and there's an empty bowl of popcorn and a bunch of candy bar wrappers strewn on the floor and they're passing around the flashlight and telling scary stories and it's absolutely adorable and I so wish I could draw.

Yes, Skyla's wearing a bomber jacket. Come on, it's nearly December! Besides, a bomber jacket would look good on her.

And did I do well with N? As for what he was musing on at the beginning of his scene...Think about it. o_o


	23. Do You Know What's Worth Fighting For?

Wowee, this is a long one! Over six thousand words. :D

So, who's gonna get Review Number Three Hundred? Wow, three hundred already...Think we can make it to five hundred before the end of the story? :D

Anywho, I hope you enjoy! A couple scenes were tricky to deal with but I think I did okay.

* * *

With a puff of colorful feathers, Eve was blasted out of the cannon, a living projectile. The Archen's hoarse cawing laughs as she glided from one cannon to another and spiraled through the air could be heard throughout the gym.

Well, at least someone was having a good time here. Bree, unfortunately, couldn't entirely agree. The adrenaline rush and sudden acceleration whipping back her hair each time she got blasted out of a cannon was admittedly entertaining, but then there was the stomach-churning feeling of not having solid ground beneath her feet, and then the free-fall. True, the walls and floor were padded, and the helmet had saved her from at least one concussion (certainly what would have been a trip to the hospital with several stitches, judging by the bruise that was nevertheless forming on her forehead from a high-velocity impact with the wall thanks to an overshoot), but Bree was certainly considering a long talk with Skyla about safety requirements. In any case, this gym would either cure one's fear of heights or bring said acrophobia to a whole new level. One or the other.

Of course, those moments spent lost in thought were moments decidedly not spent properly aiming for a safe landing. Bree realized this far too late to do anything about it, and therefore ended up skidding to a stop flat on her face in front of Skyla, the scuffed pink brim of her cap touching the tips of Skyla's bright blue boots.

She looked up. "Uh, hi."

Skyla bounced out of her chair and jumped to her feet in one swift movement. "Well, hiya! Your friend mentioned you to me before." She struck a pose. "Ready for a blast of a fight?"

Before Bree could answer, Skyla shrugged off her bomber jacket and tossed it aside. Underneath she wore something bright blue that...Well, Bree figured that it was supposed to resemble a flight suit, but it looked more like a cheerleader's outfit than anything else, what with all the exposed skin and accentuated curves. The tight fabric proudly displayed Skyla's rather large breasts. Bree was normally very comfortable with her body, but since her chest was best described as an ironing board with two grapes on it-especially when compared to Skyla's-the challenger suddenly felt very self-conscious. _Bianca_ would feel small.

"Uh, why are you-" But even as Bree said it, Skyla bounced up and down on her heels, sending other things bouncing as well, and flashed a mischievous grin. And then Bree knew the answer. Because pokemon battles were mental battles as well. If you couldn't concentrate, if you told your pokemon to do something stupid because your mind was distracted, well, one slip-up-especially in a high-stakes battle like a gym fight-could cost you the match.

Suddenly, Cheren's actions upon returning to the hotel after earning the Jet Badge, how he had walked past the two girls into the bathroom in silence with a reddened face, turned on the cold water tap as high as it would go, and dunked his head in the sink, made a lot more sense.

"Hey, ya ready?" Skyla said, snapping Bree back into the present. "George, let's go!" The fluffy Rufflet hovered in the air, glaring at Eve. Neither pokemon could fly very well; they hopped from guardrail to guardrail, tussling with pointed beaks and sharp claws.

Though Eve had the type advantage, George was stronger. Eve found herself unable to endure his slow yet powerful attacks, found she couldn't flap her wings quickly enough to keep up in the air with him. Soon enough, the Rufflet had gripped the scruff of the Archen's neck and flung her aside. There was a hollow clunk sound as Eve's beak collided with the inside base of the cannon.

Bree ran to the cannon to withdraw Eve when she heard the Archen's voice come strangely deep and echoing from within. _Fire the cannon! Archen away!_

So she did.

When Eve came shooting out of the cannon, a living ancient projectile, to ram her rock-hard beak into the Rufflet's chest, she was an Archeops. The aerial raptor, now nearly as large as Bree herself, flew into the hair on powerful wingbeats and let out a triumphant cry.

Before either George or Skyla had time to register the sudden change, Eve had pummeled the eaglet pokemon into unconsciousness.

Skyla returned her Rufflet. "Talk about dramatic! It's okay; I was training George anyways." A raspy, joyous cry interrupted her mid-sentence. Bree and Skyla looked up to see Eve doing reverse cartwheels in the air, reveling in her newfound power of flight.

Racing from end to end in the gym, Eve then found her muscles seized by an unknown outside force, which then proceeded to fling her against the thankfully padded wall.

The Swoobat which was now hovering slightly above Skyla's head hummed an ultrasonic squeak. Skyla replied with a, "Good going, Layla!"

"Eve," said Bree, "Come on, I know you can shake it off."

Eve nodded, then flew towards the Swoobat with her sharp curved claws outstretched. Her physical attacks were overwhelmingly powerful, all nimble acrobatics and rock-hard blows. But she was just a bit weary from the exertion of mid-battle evolution, and Layla was able to attack from afar with her psychic blasts. As the fight wore on, Eve's wingbeats grew uneven; her flight pattern became more and more erratic.

It took a while and Layla herself was barely airborne afterwards, but the Swoobat managed to take down the Archeops. Bree returned Eve, saying, "Nice job, Eve. You've earned a rest." She pulled out another pokeball. "Erik! Think you can do this?"

Erik nodded, or at least did a Litwick's approximation of it. The Swoobat sent a wave of psychic energy towards him, sending him skidding backwards towards the ledge of the arena. But Erik stopped himself with a stub of a waxy foot, and responded with a blast of spectral energy of his own.

It cut through Layla's about-to-be-released attack and struck her square in her furry blue face. Erik panted heavily, but his attack was enough. Layla threw up one leathery black wing in surrender.

"Ghost type," said Skyla, withdrawing the fallen pokemon with one hand and reaching for a fresh pokeball with another. "Nice. But he can't do much against Quill."

Quill turned out to be a rather large Unfezant, her dull plumage a dramatic contrast to Joralemon's vibrant violet "mask". Skyla was right; Erik was no match for her.

But Kazumi was. Scalchops shining in the fluorescent light, she shook off the claws that dragged across her fur and lept onto the Unfezant's back.

Quill cried out in surprise, and took to the air, flying upside down to shake off the Dewott that stubbornly clung to her wings. But even as she raced through the gym, Kazumi hung on. Kazumi hung on with one clawing paw, the other gripping both shells, her feet scrabbling for purchase on guardrails or platforms or cannons or walls or peoples' heads or anything solid, really.

And then Quill, on Skyla's command, dipped down to one of the cannons, hoping to knock Kazumi unconscious on its hard metal rim. Except that the Dewott used it as a springboard to get back on the Unfezant's back; then, with powerful jets of water, utterly soaked Quill's wings. Weighed down by all the water, the Unfezant crashed to the ground, Kazumi toppling off of her as well.

Both girls grinned and withdrew their fallen pokemon, replacing them with another-Skyla's final pokemon, in this case.

"Kaylee!"

"Lucky!"

"Lucky?"

Skyla laughed at the inquiry. "Yeah, I guess Lucky's an odd name to give a Swanna. But then again, I did find her with a plastic soda can ring thingy stuck around her neck, so she's lucky I found her and I'm lucky to have her. So Lucky, feeling lucky?"

Bree groaned at the pun or whatever it was. "Kaylee! Take her down!" The Stoutland lowered her head, charged the Swanna, and crashed into the wall. Lucky landed behind her and hissed.

The next time, Kaylee actually jumped down from a ledge and caught Lucky's left wing in her thick paws. Only to be rewarded by several sharp jabs to her side. Teeth bared, Kaylee lunged toward the Swanna, but her sharp canines merely slid off the keratin plates growing over the pokemon's large pectoral muscles. Lucky took to the air and flapped powerful gusts of wind that left the Stoutland struggling to stay on her feet and keep from sliding over the edge of the platform, never mind actually trying to attack the Swanna.

Lucky then soaked Kaylee with seemingly gallons of water, following with a swift aerial slash before the waterlogged Stoutland had time to respond and retaliate. The dog shook off the water, but a lot of it still clung to her fur, weighing her down.

"Kaylee," called Bree, "You can't jump after her, but bring her down!"

The soaking proved to quite possibly be Lucky's undoing. Though Kaylee was moving much more slowly now, she was actually able to fight past the powerful gusts of wind that the Swanna generated to blow her back. And when Lucky changed tactics at Skyla's command, diving in close to do swifter, stronger attacks that nevertheless left her more vulnerable, Kaylee bit, managed to hold on, and dragged the bird to the ground

They tussled for several minutes, Lucky trying to break free of Kaylee's grip and take to the air while the Stoutland tried to completely pin down the Swanna.

Eventually, Kaylee succeeded, and Lucky stretched her scuffed white wings in surrender. But much to Bree's surprise, Skyla was laughing. "That was great," she said. "Even though we lost, those fights against you and Cheren were the first really good ones we've had in a while! Yep, you've earned the Jet Badge! Now where did I put it..."

Skyla's hands, searching for the stack of Jet Badges, fumbled along a nearby tabletop. Then dipped down her cleavage. Bree choked; most of her fervently hoped that the badges were not there, but a good part of her sorely wished that she was there to see Cheren get the Jet Badge, if only to witness what must have been an absolutely glorious expression on his face.

"Ha!" A cheeky grin once again made itself very well known on the leader's face. "Gotcha, just messing around." She pulled the silver metal wing out of her pocket and placed it in Bree's open palm. "Here you go."

Bree placed the badge into the leather case, held it up in triumph. Before Skyla could say something else on her mind, the trainer was already out the door and to the pokemon center.

And (of course) the moment she left the center, her fully-healed pokemon walking proud by her side, Bree ran straight into a young handsome face framed by long wild green hair that could only belong to one person.

* * *

"AARRGHHWHATTHEFUCK?"

N continued rambling, eyes squeezed shut, as if he hadn't heard her. "What trainers really use battling for is to compete, and they hurt each others' pokemon! Why am I the only one who finds this so painful?" On the surface he seemed more composed, much more composed than before, but Bree got the distinct sense that his stability was more like holding together smashed porcelain with tape. And scotch tape too, not the super-sturdy duct tape.

"Woah, Mr. Creepy, slow down. Where's the greeting? Have you been stalking me again? Because I told you I don't find that cool!" Her pokemon gave an angry chorus of assent.

The boy king shook his head. He seemed unusually distracted, as if some buzzing thing plaguing his thoughts wouldn't go away. "Whatever...I'm going to talk to your pokemon."

Bree stepped back, preparing to withdraw all her pokemon and run for it. "What? Fuck no, you know they want to stay with me!"

N threw up his hands. "No, please, I really mean to talk with them! Nobody else from Team Plasma is here, I swear! I just..." He glanced over his shoulder, suddenly anxious, as if whatever he was about to say would summon eerie Ghetsis or the Shadow Triad on top of them, blades drawn and murder in their dead yellow eyes. His voice dropped to a whisper. "I've...I've been living with pokemon since I was born, so it's easier for me to talk with them than with people."

Bree tilted her head. In her mind's eye, she saw a young N-a lowercase n, some part of her mind said in an attempt to make light of the situation-playing in his bedroom with Zorua and Darmanitan after all his friends had gone home. It should have been an adorable visual. But for some reason there was a taint, a sour tinge on the corners of it, a bitterness that made the whole thing feel...Off. She forced the strange feeling out of her mind.

She said, "That doesn't make any sense. Even if I can't remember, I've grown up with pokemon, just like you. So has almost everyone. It's not like we're raised in a little box away from pokemon and only introduced to them once we become trainers."

It was so strange. N stood stock still, and seemed to shudder for a brief moment. And then he whispered, his voice oddly husky, "...No. No you haven't. I...I'm the king. And when I was the prince, I was...Raised as a prince." He shook his head, clutching fistfuls of light green hair. "Just...Please, let me hear your pokemon. I know I've heard them whenever we met, but...Please. I want them to really tell me what kind of trainer you are."

The next thing he felt was a rather large sharp claw repeatedly jabbing his chest, and the next thing he heard was Simon's low rumbling growl. _You know, I had a friend tell me something once that I think bears repeating: Who. The hell. Do you think you are?_

_Yeah!_ said Kazumi. _I've been with Bree since we started our journey in Nuvema with her human friends, and she's the best!_

Kaylee whimpered and nuzzled Bree's legs, then looked up at N with pleading chocolate brown eyes. _Please! I love Bree and my teammates and Simon! I don't wanna be liberated!_

_Look at me!_ cawed Eve. _I'm awesome! I can fly now! And Bree helped me get bigger and stronger and grow up so I can fly! And cotton candy! They didn't have cotton candy before the volcano and when I became a fossil!_

Erik was the last to speak. _She truly cares. Both for her living pokemon and her dead ones. And I've lived in the Celestial Tower my whole life. Most people care._

As the pokemon continued speaking, N seemed to have stopped breathing. Bree had tears in her eyes. They had so much faith in her, and even though they had told her, to tell him...

N shook his head. When he spoke, it was as fast as ever but she could barely hear him, his voice was so low. "I don't understand why or how, but your pokemon all love and trust you...That's good!"

"What do you mean you don't understand? They just told you!"

He continued rambling. "If every person and pokemon cared about each other like you do...Like...Like the people at the Celestial Tower do...Then I wouldn't have to liberate pokemon from people who use them."

She opened her mouth to protest, tell him that far more people cared about pokemon than didn't, but closed it when she saw N slide to the ground and bury his head between his knees. Kaylee, soft-hearted pokemon that she was, nuzzled his outstretched arm until he, smiling a sad lonely little smile, scratched the soft fuzzy notches behind her ears.

A deep breath, sharply inhaled, was the only sound on the cold still day of dying November. N pushed himself upright, though his eyes remained fixed on the scuffed ends of his green sneakers. "I shouldn't be telling you this," he said. "But...You need to know." He looked straight into her eyes; clouded, uncertain gray-green gazing into clear, sharp bright blue. "But...I need to. You're gonna be the hero, I just know it! And even if you weren't, I," he stuttered, his long spidery hands playing on each other, "I want you to know anyway."

He took another deep breath. No going back. "Ghetsis is using Team Plasma to search for special stones-the Light Stone and the Dark Stone. It's said that they hold the essence of two legendary pokemon who sleep, awaiting the arrival of a hero." He gazed to the stars beginning to twinkle in the early evening sky; their lights reflected in his eyes. "I'm going to resurrect Reshiram from the stone," he said dreamily, "And become it's friend. That'll show the world that I'm the true hero! Everyone will listen to what I say! And then they'll have to free their pokemon from a life of slavery, and I won't have to force them to do it, and so pokemon won't get hurt! See, Bree? I won't be forcing them too, since once I have Reshiram, they'll know I'm the hero! You understand."

One arm reached out and wrapped around Bree's shoulder; the other was outstretched before them, a visage of the future he saw that chilled Bree far more than this late autumn air ever could. And then he shrank back, retreating to his shell once more. N, looking at her and yet beyond her, rolled the Menger sponge back and forth in his hands, the sharp edges and corners biting into his soft, frail palms. He looked away from Bree, and didn't look back once he spoke again.

It was as if he had just realized something ugly, a scratch on something previously thought flawless. No matter how small, every time he looked he'd see that mar. "As a result...Pokemon and trainers who care about each other, like you...Like the..." He bit back the words, bit back the doubt, rushed on. "Pokemon and people who care about each other will be separated."

He couldn't hide it anymore. He had to admit it, even though it was such a flaw. "And that does break my heart a little."

N turned to leave, but was stopped by her pleading voice. "Then don't do it!"

"...What?"

Bree looked up, straight at him, her pokemon behind her mirroring the same expression on their trainer's face. "Look, N, please listen to me. I don't think bad people should be allowed to keep pokemon either. Hell, I think the laws need to be stricter about that stuff! But that doesn't mean you can or should punish everyone for what a few fucktarded jackasses do! I mean, come on; I know I'm not the only one who cares about my pokemon, even if nobody else other than you can understand them perfectly for some reason. And by threatening to sic Reshiram on people, you're still forcing them to do stuff just because you want it to be that way! Isn't there another way to do this? Something that involves not forcing everyone to give up their pokemon? Because I want to stay with them, and they want to stay with me. Remember Simon in Chargestone Cave? Well, you're not gonna make them leave me because we're not gonna let it happen!"

Something flickered in N's eyes. "If you want your dream to be the one realized, then you've...You've gotta be a hero as well. That's the way things are supposed to be...Right?"

"What?"

He faltered, took a step back. "I...I have to go. I'm sorry about Chargestone Cave." And then he walked off.

Bree looked at her pokemon. Now he was talking about reviving an ancient mythical legendary and using it to get people to do what he wanted? The kid was officially entering Crazy Nutcase territory, except...Except for the fact that Cheren was right from the start: Something was seriously wrong with this kid, and not entirely in the maniacal-laughter-twirling-a-mustache crazy batshit evil sense (she was starting to get the distinct creeping sense that that title may be reserved for Ghetsis, but her intuition had failed her before).

But N was so adamantly set on his ideal. And it seemed more and more likely that Bree and her friends were going to be the ones forced to stop him. Hopefully before he actually resurrected Reshiram, though the chances of that were practically nonexistent. (Another piece of evidence for the "N isn't screwed up in an evil way" argument that was starting to grow more and more likely: What kind of seemingly perfectly intelligent seventeen year old legitimately believed in fairytale myths like that as if they were truths?)

_Bree._ The trainer snapped to attention at her name, looking down to Kazumi.

Kazumi closed her eyes and nodded. And then, just like at the Nacrene cafe so many weeks ago, her body lengthened and changed. The Dewott let out a roar that dropped an octave mid-cry as she doubled, tripled in size. Her knees locked, reversed position. Kazumi fell to the ground, catching herself on large blue paws with wide black claws.

And then it was over. Kazumi the Dewott, now a Samurott, looked up at Bree from under her shell helmet with the large jagged horn. She paced on all four legs, occasionally jogged. Kazumi drew one of the large heavy shell swords on her forelimbs with her teeth, swinging it by shaking her whiskered head. Kazumi reared up on her back legs experimentally, pleased when she realized that she was now taller than Bree and a whole lot bulkier too. She took a few lumbering steps on her rear limbs, drew both swords, swung them in slow but powerful swipes, then settled back down.

_Yeah,_ she said. _I'm okay with this._

The spell broke; both Bree and her other pokemon ran to embrace and congratulate a now fully-evolved Kazumi. Bree squealed in delight at how powerful her starter had become, but she had to ask. "Why, Kazumi? I thought you weren't sure."

Her answer was simple. _Now I am. And I will make sure that N's dream will never happen. I'll make sure we stay together! No matter what it takes._

* * *

A blue booted foot kicked in the door. "Okay," said its owner, "Who here's beaten me and gotten the Jet Badge?"

Of the dozen or so people sitting in the pokemon center lobby, including the three teenagers from Nuvema currently finishing up their online homework, only Cheren and Bree raised their hands.

Skyla clapped her hands. "Great, you're coming with me!"

"What?"

"Hey, we were gonna watch a movie tonight!" Bianca protested.

Cheren sighed, resigned to whatever he was about to have to do. "And I assume we get no choice in the matter?"

"Nope," she said cheerily. "There's a bit of a situation going on in in Mistralton Cave and I need a couple of good trainers to help me out since the place is big. So come on! It's just a short flight on a pokemons' back and you can borrow mine if you don't have any."

"Wait, hang on a sec." Cheren adjusted his glasses with one hand and flipped through his pokedex with the other. "Don't Axew live in the cave?"

"Yeppers!"

"I'm in."

He and Bree waved to Bianca, and promised to be back before midnight, so don't eat all the popcorn, okay?

A few minutes later, they flew through the air on the pokemons' backs. Since Eve wasn't large enough to carry her, Bree clung on to Quill's neck. The Archeops took up the rear, spiraling in the clear night sky, occasionally swooping down to snatch up a twig or rock.

His black hair and blue jacket dramatically fluttering behind him, Cheren raised his arms in the air and laughed. Once you got used to it, flying was **fun**.

"Got that right, Cheren! Wooo-hoooo!" At Skyla's command, Lucky spun a corkscrew through the sky. While Skyla still hung on her back.

Bree clutched onto Skyla's Unfezant with both knees and one hand, attempting to keep her hair from streaming and blowing in her face with the other. Bree wished that she had a third arm, since grabbing her inhaler would mean letting go of Quill. She didn't like flying very much. Especially when it was dark.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for them to land on a little patch of meadow between the a small river and the dark maw of Mistralton Cave.

Skyla tossed two flashlights and a walkie-talkie to the teenage trainers. "You guys should stick together; the cave gets really dark and it's easy to get lost. Don't worry; I'll be fine. Call me if anything happens, 'kay?" Without another word, she bounded inside. Bree and Cheren looked at each other, then entered the cave after her.

It was dark, and the powerful yellow beams could only cut through the inky gloom so much. Kazumi, still adjusting to her evolution, walked between and slightly ahead of the two humans. Erik sat on her head, his flame another powerful light piercing the darkness.

They walked through the cave, over ledges, around needle-sharp stalagmites, and past water drip-dripping from stalactites onto the floor. The place was eerily quiet; other than their echoing footsteps, the occasional chirping of Woobats and rumbling of Boldores were the only sounds. And those natural sounds were sparse, and the squeaks of Axews were nowhere to be found. All of the pokemon were scared into hiding by...Something.

"Bree, look at this." Cheren stopped her, and pointed to the cave wall beside them. He ran his hand over the deep gouges made in the limestone. Underneath it was a footprint that, Cheren said, didn't belong to any pokemon that lived naturally in the cave.

So there was something in the cave, a predator, a pokemon that wasn't supposed to be there that was eating and terrorizing the ones that lived in Mistralton Cave. And they had to find this pokemon, or possibly several.

"Well, that's one part of the problem solved...Wait," said Bree. Kazumi had gone still, and was now listening intently. Bree strained her ears too.

Cowering behind a rock was a small scared Axew, its body trembling, its scratched hide a strange drab beige instead of mottled green. The tiny dragon looked at the two humans and pokemon, and lept to his feet. He frantically waved his short stubby arms and yelped far too quickly for Bree to understand. But she got the gist of it.

"He's scared of whatever it is, and he wants us to help him, because he's too scared to do it himself."

Cheren rolled his eyes. "Somehow I highly doubt that you have to be the pokemon whisperer to figure that one out." He picked up the Axew and cradled it in his arms. "Well, that was easy."

"Hey, we've got to figure out what's going on first."

It didn't take long, and when they found out, Bree wished that it did. The Axew screamed and jumped out of Cheren's arms to vainly attempt waking up the half-eaten bodies of his brethren. Cheren stood in horror. Erik and Kazumi bowed their heads. Bree thought she was going to be sick.

The walkie-talkie crackled to life and Skyla's cheery voice bounced around the cavern. "Hey, how are you doing? I haven't found any odd pokemon, but there's a brightly lit cavern that's blocked off for some reason, and when I went there Lucky turned and hissed at me, like she was telling me to leave! I dunno what that was for, but are you doing better?"

Cheren was the one to speak. "...It depends what your definition of "better" is, Leader Skyla."

"Huh? Whatcha mean by that?"

And then two gut-chilling roars and a high-pitched scream interrupted the young man. He turned around to see Bree and Kazumi race to the end of the cave where the Axew was screaming.

And the pokemon had good reason to scream. His head and body were caught in the two ravenous mouths of a feral Zweilous; the two heads tugged in opposite directions, trying to rip him apart. Already by the half-light Cheren could see dark red blood welling up from the Axew where the Zweilous bit down.

He ran forward, and he could see Bree and Kazumi halfway there, his best friend reaching for the pokeball that housed Eve, but Cheren already knew that the shiny Axew would be torn in half and dead by the time they were close enough to help. There was only one thing left. He was never one for thinking on the fly, but Cheren had already had the pieces, and now it was simply a matter of putting them together as fast as possible. And that he could do. One way to save the Axew, and suddenly Cheren Shiro knew what he had to do.

"Axew," he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Throw your head tusks upward as hard as you can! Do it now!"

Though the little dragon's head was caught in a mouth of the larger, brutal dragon, he somehow understood. With a muffled ripping sound as more leathery hide tore, the Axew twisted his head and rammed it into the roof of the Zweilous' mouth with all his quickly-draining force. The hard, sword-like tusks pierced the palate, sending bright red blood gushing from the hole and spilling from the pokemon's mouth. With an agonized roar, the Zweilous dropped its gravely wounded prey and collapsed to the ground. Without any hesitation, Cheren threw a pokeball at the dying Axew, sucking it within. Once, twice, three times and it was still. The Axew would remain in stasis until he got him to a pokemon center. He grimly smiled as he pocketed his latest catch.

"Hector," he said.

This whole episode took less than a minute. Carefully, they approached the two-headed dragon type lying limp on the ground. Kazumi leaned down and prodded one of its-her-two furry black appendages jutting out from her back with her helmet. One head weakly roared, but the other was still. If not for the small trickle of blood, the head might have been sleeping. If not for the slight flare of her nostrils, the head might have been dead.

"But Deino and Zweilous don't live in Mistralton Cave," Cheren finally said.

Bree rubbed her chin. She said, "Remember Simon? Maybe it's the same deal here?"

"You're saying that this pokemon was abandoned here?"

"Probably." She looked down at the wounded pokemon again. The uninjured head was now gnawing at the base of the wounded one. "It's lost and scared and hungry..."

"Oh, please don't tell me you're taking pity on the thing! Bree, haven't you read about this line? You know how dangerous they can be!" He looked down to see an empty pokeball in her hand that was most certainly not there a few seconds ago. "Oh for the love of..."

"Cheren, Zweilous may be dangerous, but I can talk to pokemon! And they can't be as bad as people make them out to be, even if they are on the registry. Besides, I've got my other five pokemon to help me out. You'll see, I'll show her the importance between people and pokemon. And I'll keep her fed so she won't eat any other pokemon, and I promise to keep her away from your Axew." And so she pressed a button on the pokeball and captured the Zweilous.

The young man just introduced his hands to his forehead in response. "I swear," he muttered, "Sometimes you channel Bianca. And not the sweet, lovable parts of her either."

"Oh, so you find her lovable," she teased as Skyla ran up to where they were. Cheren's reddened face was the only response she needed. "Don't worry, I'll talk with the nurses at the center."

* * *

"Do you realize," said Head Nurse Penny, according to her name tag, "Just what you've gotten yourself into?"

Bree swung her feet back and forth; the chair was so tall and she was so short that her feet didn't touch the floor. "Um, I got a powerful but dangerous pokemon?

"Dangerous isn't the half of it!" The nurse shook her head, even as she gave the pokeball to Bree. "It's only because you've got six badges and your other pokemon are in remarkably good condition that I'm letting you keep this Zweilous. But you must listen to me."

The girl nodded. "Listening."

Head Nurse Penny gave a curt nod, then switched into Lecturer Mode. "The entire Deino line is one of the most dangerous evolutionary lines, if not the most dangerous, in all of Unova. The fact that you got this pokemon as a Zweilous instead of a Deino makes raising it even more risky; its two heads constantly fight and it doesn't even have the stability of a trainer to fall back on."

She looked back at Bree. "I'm not saying that properly raising a freshly-caught Zweilous is impossible; it can be done. But it is an extremely difficult task, one that you've got to devote yourself to. You must not be soft. You must be strict and firm and not allow any leeway at all. Because when it evolves...Hydreigons are as dangerous as Gyarados and if they're not raised properly...How do I put this nicely..."

The Audino which was busy checking Kazumi's heartbeat didn't even look up when she said, _Oh, don't mince words. Calling a vicious, violent, out-of-control Hydreigon a rampaging murderbeast __**is**__ a kind way of putting it._

Even as she accepted the pokeball containing the recovered Zweilous, Bree gulped. "I understand."

"Good," said the nurse. "Because you know about the list, right? If this pokemon attacks anyone, you could be held legally accountable. And the pokemon will likely be euthanized."

Her face now ashen, Bree began to walk to her room. Then she thought better of it and instead went outside, to a deserted field. Taking a deep breath, she released all her other pokemon first, then released the Zweilous.

It was a very good idea that she didn't do this in her room. By the time the dragon pokemon stopped thrashing around, Simon had repeatedly knocked her two fighting heads together, Kazumi held her swords to both black-furred throats, both Kaylee and Eve held its limbs fast, Erik flashed a warning for any passerbys to stay away, and Bree herself had climbed onto the thrashing pokemon's back, pinning down its black winglike appendages, for lack of a better word.

Oh, what had she gotten into? But no going back now. Even though its thrashing limbs and gnashing teeth struck an odd fear into Bree's heart, fear that was absent with every other pokemon she had ever been around, she made a promise to care for this pokemon and so she'd keep this promise or die trying.

So Bree leaned in between the pokemons' heads that Simon kept separated with his powerful steel claws. "Alright," she said into the pokemon's ears above its roaring. "I'm the trainer, so I make the rules. In case you didn't notice, all my pokemon are capable of kicking your ass six ways to Sunday, so don't think you can try any funny stuff on them. And you won't have to worry about food since I keep everyone well fed. Got it?" The pokemon's heads had quieted down a bit; Bree considered this a good sign and so continued.

"First off, you need a name. How does Idoun sound?" The Zweilous didn't protest at the name. At least, she didn't roar or thrash any more than she already was.

"All right, Idoun it is. Now, Idoun. If we work together and get along, we'll both be happier for it. And you'll have a good time with me and my other pokemon, I promise. You'll be able to see the world and everything! ...Oh, right, you don't have eyes. Well, you can still smell and hear the world and stuff.

"But there's a few rules you need to follow. First and most importantly, no eating other peoples' pokemon. You won't have to eat wild pokemon either since I'll give you food. I'm not going to let you battle until you learn that, alright? Second, no trying to kill your other head, and that goes for both of you! Seriously, don't you realize you'll die from blood loss or shock if that happens; that's what happened back in the cave! Besides, you're gonna be stronger working together than fighting each other. So those are the two main rules. Got it?"

Idoun roared and thrashed again, her two heads snapping at each other even though Simon held them back. Bree sighed and hung on. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

A/N: Yep! Now everyone's got their final pokemon. Cheren's got a shiny Axew named Hector and Bree's got a Zweilous named Idoun (both are Fire Emblem references, by the way. :P). And both Kazumi and Eve evolved!

Oh, and for those of you who are skeptical because Bree's now got a second-stage pseudo-legendary, think about it. This isn't a placid Dragonair. This is a Zweilous. It's literally classified as a Hostile Pokemon. Idoun's throwing a destructive fit the moment she's let out of her pokeball. She tried to eat Hector! If a Zweilous evolves wrong it becomes a _rampaging murderbeast._ This is one of the hardest pokemon to care for around. Think Ash's Charizard from the anime, _cubed._ If Bree wants Idoun to be a good pokemon, and not go off killing anyone and likely be _euthanized_ for it, she's gonna have to work her ass off!

That's the thing. Mary-Sue characters just get stuff handed to them. Non Mary-Sue characters have to work for their cool gadgets.

Anyway, did you like the chapter? Did you like N? And yeah, Skyla got an extra pokemon here. I'll be giving the gym leaders more pokemon, just to make it more challenging for Bree.

Next up, Twist Mountain! Hopefully Friday!


	24. How Can I Find My Way Out Of This Maze?

Guys, I am so sorry this took so long! Stuff came up and, gah, I'm sorry I promise not to make deadlines I can't keep again!

Also, this chapter absolutely. Refused. To. Cooperate! So, it...It's not as good as the others. I'm sorry. I hope it doesn't suck too much though.

* * *

Hector, his neck and body swaddled in clean white bandages, looked up at Cheren from the counter. The nurse said, "He'll be alright."

With a relieved sigh, Cheren held the Axew close. His tusks went _clank_ on his trainer's glasses. Bianca squealed and leaned in close, snaking one hand around her friend's shoulders. Her hair tickled Cheren's nose as she scratched Hector's beige head.

Bree chose this moment to walk in with Kazumi, both of their legs bruised from where Idoun decided to ram them. "Well," she said to her two friends, who turned around to look at her, "Was I...Interrupting anything?"

Yep, that was a smirk. Definitely a smirk crooked across her face. After a moment for it to sink in, both Cheren and Bianca jumped back, their faces red.

"It wasn't what it looks like, I swear!" said Cheren.

Bianca stammered, "I-I wasn't kissing him! And not thinking about it either! I-I was just looking at Hector!"

"Riiight," smirked Bree.

"Say, what happened to your legs?"

"Idoun happened. Don't worry though, I'll get her tame. You'll see!"

Kazumi padded over to the Axew in Cheren's arms and said, _I hear your name is Hector?_

Hector nodded. All the people in the pokemon center looked at the two pokemon having a conversation as Kazumi continued, _I'm glad you're okay. Sorry I couldn't help you._

Hector mumbled something that probably translated to, _It's okay._

_That's good,_ said Kazumi. _I hope you get better soon. _She began to draw her sword, but upon the shouts and cries from the bystanders soon thought better of it. _In any case, I look forward to battling you soon._

The Axew squeaked an assent and tapped the edge of his tusk on the Samurott's helmet.

"They promised to battle when Hector gets better," Bree explained.

They talked for a while, about nothing in particular, until Bree announced that she was going to sleep. Cheren and Bianca agreed to follow suit. Twist Mountain, even if one began the trek early in the morning, was a two-day trip on foot. If they didn't want to stretch it out to three days-and they certainly didn't want to in this cold weather-they had to get started early.

The next morning, Cheren, the neat freak that he was, spent the better part of an hour in the bathroom showering and brushing his teeth and performing other miscellaneous acts of self-grooming. This included combing and gelling his sleek shiny pitch-black hair, of which he was particularly proud. Of course, while Cheren was performing his morning ablutions, Bree decided to take that moment to haphazardly throw her pajamas into the bathroom, where they wrapped themselves around the young man's head.

The chuff of hair, which was supposed to be slim and curved, was instead a huge, chunky clump that would jut out from his head for the next two days. By the time an annoyed Cheren had finished getting dressed and searched the center, Bree had already left for Route Seven, hoping to get a head start. And this time she actually did run out with her laces untied and an egg-and-sausage breakfast sandwich crammed into her mouth.

* * *

_Have I mentioned flying's awesome? Because I'll say it again! Flying's awesome! Bree Bree Bree, you gotta try flying, it's so much fun! I can carry you, I can pick you up in my claws, come on, fly with me! You'll love it!_

So went the hike through Route Seven: Bree pushing aside brambles and tall grass that scratched her hands and face and got in her hair while Eve all but begged her trainer to let the Archeops carry her.

"Eve," Bree said, "You saw me when I was on Skyla's Unfezant. And besides, your claws are sharp. What if they cut into my shoulders or jacket?"

The Archeops stuck out her tongue. _Nah-nah, scaredy cat! Look at me, I can fly! Upside down! Backwards! With my eyes closed! ...Ow._

Bree ran over to where her pokemon lay dazed at the base of the stone; rock-hard heads could only do so much against actual rocks. "Eve! Are you okay?"

She needn't have worried; her pokemon soon hopped to her feet and looked at her trainer. _Hey, Bree? What's a Taillow? And what's a coconut?_

Well, that was an odd question. "A Taillow is a bird pokemon from...I think Hoenn. And a coconut is a hard round brown fuzzy fruit. Why are you asking?"

Eve said in a raspy squawk, _I heard something on the magic glowy moving picture box last night about a Taillow and a coconut. I bet I could carry a whole bunch of coconuts!_

Of course that's what it was all about! Cheren had introduced the two of them to that show several years ago and since then they had watched it religiously. "Of course, Eve," Bree laughed, then coughed and wheezed as she breathed in residue off the tall reeds. "Alright," she said through the inhaler, scrambling up to the tall platform that had been placed above the reeds, struggling to stay on the narrow platform in her wide boots. "You want to help me balance?"

Which was how Bree ended up dashing along the raised platforms on tiptoe, arms fluttering outward like stretched wings on some deranged bird. While an actual bird gripped her shoulders with curved claws and flapped her wings, pulling Bree forward and keeping her upright. When they reached the end of the narrow walkway, Bree jumped off and felt herself glide under Eve's power until her toes skimmed the ground and she landed by the base of Twist Mountain.

As Bree watched her Archeops soar through the crisp air, she couldn't help but laugh. This was what being a pokemon trainer was about.

Also, battling. As Cheren demonstrated when he came out of the tall grass and said, "Halt!" With his coat fluttering dramatically in the wind and one hand outstretched, with the other pointing in Bree's direction, it would have all been very dramatic. Except that the wind stopped blowing, Cheren's hair still stuck up every which way from the hair gel accident, and he was coughing furiously.

"Nice entry, Cheren," she snickered.

"I've been thinking," he said. "About what Alder said...Your strength, and my strength. Right. Let's test them." He paused. "I'm not using Hector though. He's still recovering."

"And no way am I going to use Idoun in a battle until she learns to control herself."

Cheren nodded. "Okay, five on five. And I'm going to win this time. Joralemon!"

"Eve!"

At once, the two birds took the the air, a synchronized dance of wings and claws. They swooped in and out, ducking and weaving, clashing their feet then breaking apart. Joralemon sent razored slashes of air racing towards Eve, who responded by nimbly hopping from tree to tree and descending on the Unfezant, buffeting the large bird with hard edged feathers and large raptor claws.

Cupping his hands, Cheren shouted, "Joralemon, remember how you landed yesterday? Like that, but faster!" The Unfezant warbled an affirmation and, with powerful wingbeats, drove himself high up into the sky until he was no more than a dot against the morning sun. Then, he tucked in his wings and descended on Eve with blinding speed.

But Bree was ready. "Eve, meet him head-on!"

Unlike Joralemon's, Eve's front limbs had fully functioning hands and claws as well. So when the Unfezant rammed himself into Eve's chest, she dug all four sets of claws in, gripped hard, then let go. A few of Joralemon's feathers were ripped out; while he inspected the damage, the Archeops went in for the final blow.

Joralemon lay knocked out in a heap on the ground; Eve, panting, swayed victorious above him. Cheren didn't say a word as he sent out Ozymandias. The large Gigalith swatted Eve aside without even looking at the ancient bird pokemon.

"Kazumi, you're up!"

Kazumi reared up on her back legs, drew her swords, and roared. The mighty cry reverberated through the clearing and blew past the reeds. The Gigalith answered with a rumble.

Her blades clanged against his stony blue feet, were knocked out of her grip and landed in the grass several feet away. They pummeled her helmet and left bruises in the side of her face. But Kazumi recovered quickly, snatching up the blade in her teeth and gripping the other in her right paw. Even against Kazumi's super-effective attacks, Ozymandias stood sturdy, and Bree got another sense of how Cheren's gym battle must have gone. In her mental picture, Cheren, blushing because of Skyla's bouncing breasts, commanded Ozymandias to stand firm, an immovable obelisk against ineffective beaks and wings and claws.

But unlike Skyla's bird pokemon, her Samurott had an advantage over the towering Gigalith. And so as the duel wore on she wore him down. And so under Kazumi's power, Ozymandias crumbled and no fighting strength remained.

Cheren muttered, "Type advantage. I should have known better," while releasing Julian. The haughty Serperior raised his head, stared down at the Samurott in arrogance.

Kazumi, roaring in response, lunged forward. At the force of her attack, the little smirk was wiped off of Julian's face to be replaced by a determined grimace. Both pokemon's grunts of exertion and laughter from the exhilaration of fighting a worthy opponent were obvious to anybody passing by.

Shell swords clashed on leafy blades as the two dueled in the shadow of the mountain. Finally, lashes marked in her hide by whipping vines and the tips of her thick white whiskers notched by razor-sharp leaves, Kazumi backed off. Looking at her trainer, the Samurott said, _I'm sorry, if I were stronger..._

"You're strong enough, Kazumi. And look at Julian." Sure enough, the Serperior's verdant scales were scored from the Samurott's swords.

Bree said, "Type advantage. Right. Go, Erik!"

Cheren, drawn up in the heat of battle, actually smirked. "An amendment to my precious statement: Type advantages, while important, are not the only factor in deciding a battle. Julian, coil!"

Erik was slow, and wasn't able to hop away before the Serperior wound his body around the Litwick and squeezed. The little purple light, all that was visible of the candle pokemon, frantically vibrated as Erik tried to escape.

And then Julian hissed in pain and all but threw Erik out of his grip. A quickly reddening welt blotted those shiny scales, a burn from the heat of the Litwick's flame.

Julian was moving more slowly now than before. He listed to one side, pressing the burned scales against the frozen ground. Erik, for his part, leaned against a tree to get his breath back.

The Litwick recovered first. Cheren's Serperior again swatted his tail and buffeted Bree's Litwick with lashing vines, but thanks to the burn they were slower, less powerful. Erik shot flame after bursting flame at Julian, and it was only a matter of time before the haughty grass snake was brought low, his jaw crashing to the cracked brown ground.

Cheren said, "Nice recovery," and sent out Marina. The Simipour had obviously trained hard; she didn't even look twice before shooting out a massive jet of ice-cold water that blasted Erik insensible against a nearby tree. The impact sent the remaining crinkled, dried brown leaves fluttering to the ground.

"Erik, you did amazing. Kaylee, you're up!"

Dry wind whipped at the black fur on the Stoutland's back; brushing against the reeds, her sleek coat crackled with built-up static electricity that discharged when she rammed into the Simipour.

Electric beats water. Small zaps of static dancing along her skin, Marina struggled to her feet while Kaylee shook off the recoil from her wild charge.

"Marina," Cheren said on the other side of the clearing, "Kaylee can use static electricity in her attacks because it's so dry. Get her fur wet!"

His Simipour saluted, then proceeded to soak Kaylee to the bone. The blowing wind and freezing air soon made her dripping fur stiffen and crystallize. She moved slowly now, fighting against her own frozen coat that cracked and splintered with every step. Marina was nimble, and moved in for the metaphorical kill. She hopped from branch to low-hanging branch, and continued to soak the Stoutland.

Her fur froze in place. Her mustache froze to her pelt. Her paws froze to the ground. And still Kaylee strained against the thick coating of ice, shivered and whined, _P-please, B-B-Bree! I wanna f-fight!_

She said, "No, Kaylee. You're going to get hypothermia and I really don't want Erik to have to thaw you out in the middle of Twist Mountain or for you to end up in the pokemon center in an incubator." So above her Stoutland's protests, Bree switched the frozen Kaylee for a healthy Simon, who growled and sharpened his gleaming metal claws on a jutting stone outcrop.

"Again with the type disadvantages," said Cheren. "Marina, you know what to do!"

But before the Simisear could attack with another blast of water, Simon burrowed his way underground; the move instead splashed on the rocky outcrop. Before either Cheren or Marina could react, the Excadrill shot one steel claw out of the ground, latching it around the Simipour's leg and yanking down.

Marina thudded on the ground, muttered, _Nighty-night, Cheren, _and passed out. Cheren, for his part, gnawed his lower lip as he sent out Nekoya.

Simon was powerful and Nekoya had taken a beating in the gym battle yesterday, and the Liepard had been doing some physical therapy with Hector that morning, so he was still tired. It began to dawn on Cheren that he was probably going to lose. The realization made him visibly sag; an inner weight dragged him down.

He couldn't beat Bree. Not now, anyway. And if he couldn't beat Bree, how could he beat the champion? He was supposed to be the champion; he had decided on that on his fifth birthday! He was supposed to be strong, but this was weakness! How could he be strong if he couldn't win? ...He'd trained nearly his whole life for this. And one thing he knew, one thing Cheren had always been taught, was that everyone had a particular strength, and this strength was what was most important. And if Cheren wasn't strong, then what was he? He. Had. To. Win. Otherwise, he'd be nothing.

But...

"Can you be strong even if you lose? Is winning everything?"

"No, it's not. I've lost before, and so have the gym leaders, and I'll bet even Alder's lost fights!"

Simon slashed downward, but Nekoya faked him out, interrupted his swipe with outstretched claws and a sucker punch when Simon tried again. But claws could only do so much against living metal and thick hide. When the Liepard stopped, he found that his sharp claws had barely even scratched the Excadrill's steel armor.

He responded with a blow hard enough to shatter bricks. The attack instead rammed into the towering outcrop, several inches above Nekoya's head.

"Ha! He missed!"

"Wasn't aiming for him."

The stone cracked, and Nekoya saw the little pebbles and realized in the same moment that it was too late to run. With a cut-off yowl of _Oh motherfu-_, the Liepard ended up half-buried in the small rockslide, which eventually stopped by Cheren's feet.

Nekoya groaned a surrender. Cheren sighed and returned his last pokemon. Then he punched the gravel.

"Dammit!"

"What's the cursing for?" came a serene voice from above. "That was an fine battle."

Bree and Cheren looked up to see Alder watching from the entrance of Twist Mountain. Without warning he hopped over the guardrail and jumped down.

Cheren blinked. "Champion Alder, there was a staircase. And honestly, it bothers me when you say that was a fine battle. I was weak, so I lost!"

The champion sighed. "Oh, Cheren. Please just accept the complement without the stinging remark. I've asked you this before, but what do you plan on doing once you become the new champion?"

"That's exactly it," he said. "Once I get strong and become a champion, that'll be the reason for my existence! I'm strong, and I want to prove it."

Well, that was somewhat alarming talk. Cheren, her best friend, her former boyfriend, still her best friend, the intelligent, logical, reasonable one of the inseperable three, saying stuff like that? She'd always known he was driven, it was obvious to anyone that he was driven, but to be such a perfectionist, so focused on the goal, that he'd crumble...

She placed a supporting hand on his shoulders. "Cheren..."

"You remind me of Marshal," was all Alder said. And then he followed up with, "Being powerful is important, but what's more important is what you do with that power."

Cheren said nothing, not even when Alder healed their pokemon and gave them both a device that he said would let their pokemon carry them along water. And then he left.

There was silence in the clearing for a while. Then Cheren said, "...I don't know what I want to do with my power yet. But first I have to get it."

"Wait!" He was about to leave when Bree grabbed the collar of his sports jacket. She said, "Cheren, what were you talking about back there? ...It scared me."

"I..." Truth be told, he didn't know what he was talking about there. It just sort of came out, an uncharacteristic outburst of unbridled emotion. And so he told Bree as such, and followed up with, "I think I just got carried away. I promise, I'm fine."

Before he could further assauge her fears, Bree threw her arms around his shoulders. "You need best friend hugs," she said as Cheren returned it.

He returned the embrace. "Heh, thanks."

And when Bianca came, late as usual, and they entered Twist Mountain (past the sign that said **Watch out for Beartic in the winter; do not play with the Cubchoo!**), all three of them decided that a full order of best friend hugs was the best cure. Even better than the myriad letters in alphabet soup.

* * *

"Clay? Is that you?"

For the base of a large mining operation, Twist Mountain was surprisingly deserted. Then again, the three teenagers did arrive in the off-season, right in the two-week time span where the mine closed down as the minerals obtained shifted with the seasons. And usually there would be base camps full of trainers, but this stream had dwindled to a trickle. Some of it could certainly be attributed to the weather, but Bree had the sinking suspicion that Team Plasma was more at blame here.

And yet here was Clay, the gym leader of Driftveil and the owner of Yacon Mining Corporation, scouting out the mountain, his Excadrill by his side.

Clay turned and said, "Don't see anyone else around, do I? Fancy meetin' you here. Y'all seem a bit more rugged than last time we met."

"Is that so." Cheren looked to Bianca and smiled.

"Well," he said, stretching his bulky arms, "Considering all the trouble with Team Plasma, you'd be smart to strengthen up. By the way, have you seen that Team Plasma crowd lately?"

The three trainers looked at each other and shook their heads. Bree said, "I ran into N yesterday, but other than that we haven't seen them around since November."

The gym leader nodded. "That's exactly it. After the whole thing in Chargestone Cave, we gym leaders met up and had a chat, went searchin'. But we can't find hide or hair of them; it's like they're hidin' under a rock."

Bree got the mental image of N, a young N, huddled under a beanbag with a Zorua (had he ever actually told her he had a Zorua? She couldn't remember) and what she somehow knew was a clearly-loved multicolored toy train set. The quick-flash vision was faded, like an old photograph in sepia. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry (why cry?).

"Anyway, it's not yer problem," Clay said, interrupting Bree's thoughts. "We can't do much now except wait fer them to show their heads. 'Sides, you should just enjoy your time with yer pokemon. Speaking of which," he gave Bree a critical glance, "How is your Drilbur going?"

"Simon's an Excadrill now," Bree said with pride, sending out Simon. The two pokemon, both Bree and Clay's, introduced themselves with soft growls and inquisitive sniffs.

Bianca said, "Aww, they're so cute like that!" The other three humans nodded in approval.

"You're taking good care of him," said Clay. "I knew it was a good idea to give ya the supplements."

Simon looked back and rumbled, _See? I told you you would be fine._

Behind them Cheren said, "You own this mountain?" Bree felt Bianca nudge her shoulder as she pointed to their friend. Cheren seemed oddly stiff, as if he was preparing to do something he found annoying and possibly mildly distasteful. Or, as he called it, "bothersome." So Bianca had noticed it first this time.

Clay relit his cigar. "Well, technically, since I own the rights to mine here. But that doesn't mean y'all can't train here. In fact, one of the first things my workers and I did was make a new safe path for passing trainers."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Tapping his cigar, the gym leader let gray ash fall to the ground. "Just do me a favor and stay away from any Cubchoo. I know they're awful cute, but mama bear...Ain't so much."

Bianca nodded. "Don't hug the adorable bear cubs. Got it."

Clay smiled. "Good. I've got to go have a meeting with Arty." The Driftveil leader sardonically grinned, raising his hands upward in a gesture of _so help me._ "So help me, that man is crazy, but sometimes ya need crazy for a plan." And with that, he left.

Cheren couldn't help but laugh. "Ha, I thought he was going to get us involved in all that bother again, so I was bracing myself before I knew it."

"Seriously Cheren, I thought you knew more words than that."

"Huh? Bianca, what do you mean?"

"You know." She smiled. "Bother. You say it all the time. What a bother! What a bother!"

"Okay, that's enough."

"No it's not!" Bree turned around, her boots scraping against the dirt, and ran back to Cheren. She then proceeded to say, "Bother bother bother bother bother," while repeatedly jabbing her fingers in his messed-up hair and blue sports jacket.

* * *

"Owww..." Bianca whimpered while Marina and Kazumi cooled her reddened fingers, burned from the boiling pot of noodles. Behind her, Cheren hissed softly as he worked the softened hot pasta with his hands, separating the pieces.

"Bianca, please follow the instructions next time," he said around several fingers jammed in his mouth in a futile attempt to cool them off. The instructions were clearly marked on the package, and Bianca really should have known better than to tell Porkchop and Christine to set up the campfire. But he didn't hold any animosity towards his friend. And thankfully they were only first degree burns, if that. They stung more than anything else.

On the other side of the makeshift campsite in a cavern in Twist Mountain, Bree carefully poured a mixture of pokemon food and ground meat, identical amounts of both, into two dishes. "Okay," she shouted as she released Simon with a flash of light, "Everyone stand back!"

When Idoun materialized, the first thing the dragon did was chomp down on Bree's hand. Her scream, her high-pitched primal shriek that seemed to be wrenched from time, echoed through the cavern for a long time.

A blue flash, Kazumi leaped-actually leaped-across the fire. In the same movement, in a single bound, she drew her swords, cleared the distance, and held the blades to each of Idoun's throats while Simon tugged her two heads back.

Kazumi's deep roar dug into the subconscious; it brought back racial memories of untamed beasts, the fires of the pleistocene. The Zweilous froze.

The Samurott leaned in close and growled, low enough for it to seem private but loud enough for everyone to hear. _Zweilous, you have a choice. Stay with us and Bree and behave, or leave now and take your chances. But let me make this absolutely clear. If you attack one of us, or another pokemon, or a human, or Bree, if you harm Bree in any way, I will cut you down._

The whole time, the edges of her swords never left the Zweilous' throats. Idoun wilted and shrank back. She ate quietly, not even fighting herself over food.

Kazumi watched the dragon, her blades still drawn. _That's what I thought._

The cut on Bree's arm, after close inspection and disinfection by the three trainers, was deemed to not be serious. Only a few of the teeth actually pierced the skin; the rest left markings that would be a semicircle of scabs and bruises on the end of her left hand, stopping at her knuckles, the next day. So they finished eating and brushed their teeth and went to sleep as normal, tossing and turning in their sleeping bags because they could still feel the rocks and bare ground through them. Bree fell asleep first, as she always did. For some reason, she'd always been able to fall asleep anywhere, in any location, no matter how uneven and uncomfortable the terrain. On the other side Bianca rolled over and used a sleeping Cheren's stomach as a second pillow.

Some time during the night, as their pokemon kept watch in shift, one of the pokeballs rolled out from Bree's bag and came to a stop against a boulder deep in shadows. A flash of light that she couldn't have seen, and Idoun materialized.

The two heads growled and snapped at each other, perpetually hungry, perpetually fighting. Split down the middle, one-and-a-half where there was once one. It should not have been, but it was. Each part of Idoun struggled for control, struggled to make the other half of her body work again. And the human, Bree, who should have been easy meat, even for the two competing heads, was protected by the giant sword-wielding demon with the mighty roar.

She was full after she ate, something she-they hadn't felt since she-they was a Deino with one head and it was right and there was no split confusion, but now she was hungry again. Her two heads snarled and snapped each other's neck, trying to gain control and silence the other voice forever.

And then a scent wafted through the air, coming from not-so-far away. Small, cold. A small, chilly, young creature, helpless against two powerful jaws, two sets of teeth. A small young pokemon, but meat enough.

Erik and River were on the other side of the clearing, so they didn't see the dragon slip out of sight, the two heads leaned forward to catch the scent, working together for once.

Idoun was on the hunt.

* * *

A/N: Oh dear. What's Idoun doing now?

Yeah, this sucked. Sorry about that, I was struggling for days with this one. I'll try to get the next update up more quickly. More plot next time, I promise!


	25. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

Alright, long chapter again! So how's everyone doing?

I actually like this chapter. I'm worried about how I did Idoun though. I hope I did that part well, I really hope...

Anywho, please read, comment, and most of all enjoy!

* * *

A jagged horn repeatedly poked into one's side would wake anybody up, even a heavily-sleeping Bree.

"Huhwazzit?"

Kazumi's voice was low, filled with restrained worry. _Bree, where is Idoun?_

It was impossible to tell in the dark of the cave without looking at her watch, but Bree was fairly sure it wasn't even five in the morning yet. She had always been a morning person (perhaps stemming from her first definitely-a-memory memory of seeing the sun rise over the fields while she, six years old or so, was slung over her mother's shoulder), but there was a limit. So it took a moment for her pokemon's question to register; when it did, the shock sent Bree sitting bolt upright where she nearly slammed her head into the low overhang.

"What?"

Lying on the ground, River whimpered, her head cradled in her paws. Erik's gaze remained steadily fixed on the ground.

_I'm sorry,_ he said. _I should have paid more attention. I failed your expectations..._

River whined from behind her furry paws and mustache; it took a moment for Bree to understand. _It was so fast! We heard something running away and then Erik looked and saw the open carry-den you keep us in; he said it was the Zweilous', but it was empty..._

It took several minutes of hyperventilating for Bree to calm down. But eventually she did. Taking her hand off her chest, the trainer wheezed, "How long ago was this?"

Erik and Kazumi looked at each other. _About fifteen minutes ago. We needed to find the carry-den and then wake up Kazumi out of hers. Sorry,_ said Erik.

Bree shot out of her sleeping bag and grabbed her pokeballs and bag. She didn't bother to change out of her ratty shirt-and-sweatpants pajamas into actual clothes, much less brush her long tangled hair.

"Kaylee," she said as she released her Stoutland, lowering her voice to a whisper halfway through the name when she looked back at the sleeping forms of her two friends. A part of Bree, looking at the way Bianca had nestled into Cheren's splayed-out arm, wondered when they'd wake up and actually get together. Then again, Cheren was likely reluctant to try the whole "date-your-best-friend" thing again and Bianca's father was notoriously overprotective about this sort of thing. When it came to Bianca and potential boyfriends, Mr. Noir would decapitate them and stick their heads on a pike if they were lucky, and hang them with their own intestines if they were not.

She couldn't blame Cheren for wanting to avoid that.

Behind her, Kaylee yelped a, _What? _and immediately brought Bree back to the rather urgent situation at hand.

Crouching to the ground, Bree dropped her voice to a whisper. "Okay, obviously we've got a problem here. Idoun's on the loose and I can't let what happened in Mistralton Cave happen again." Her pokemon shivered at the grisly memory. "So let's go find our Zweilous."

Without another word, Kaylee put her nose to the ground to catch the dragon's scent. Following the Stoutland, Bree, Erik, and Kazumi ran away from the clearing and down into the underbelly of Twist Mountain.

The caverns were twisted, dark, and narrow. Splitting several times into forks, the tunnels seemed to taunt Bree. If not for Kaylee and her nose...She didn't want to think about it. Even so, her Stoutland lost the scent once or twice, leaving them stranded in the maze of tunnels until Simon led them out.

But now the caverns were opening up, and getting colder. They led into a small, long chamber as cold as the outside. The floor was spotted by pawprints and dung; the walls were coated with a practically-crystalline slime that looked like half-frozen snot.

...On closer inspection, that was half-frozen snot. Bree wiped her hand on her sweatpants with a, "Blech."

Kaylee's ears perked up. Barking, she ran to the opposite side of the chamber, where two pokemon lay on the ground.

A Cubchoo shivered on the ground, a large but ultimately not dangerous bite wound on its side. Behind the young bear lay Idoun. Lying limp, both necks sporting claw marks, the lower half of her body was frozen to the floor.

"Idoun! Cubchoo!" Whipping out two potions and dual-wielding them like Kazumi and her swords, Bree dashed forward to spray them on the two pokemons' wounds. Kaylee and Kazumi helped the Cubchoo to his feet, brushing dirt off his paws while Erik melted the ice off Idoun.

Bree was busy cleaning out the Cubchoo's bites with one hand and warming up her Zweilous with the other when she heard a deep roar.

_Why do you help the predator?_

A Beartic, all frozen fur and curved claws, lumbered into view. The bandaged Cubchoo sitting on Kaylee's back pawed the air at the sight of his mother. Idoun whimpered and shrank into herself. Both heads scrambled to get under each other when the polar bear reached down and snatched Idoun up in the air by both her necks.

_Why do you help the predator?_ she said again. Idoun scrabbled the air. The mother Beartic ignored the Zweilous' strangled gurgles and continued, _This one tried to eat my cub._

"Please!" said Bree. "Idoun is my pokemon, see?" She flashed the pokeball before returning it to her belt. "She got out by accident while I was asleep and ran off. The moment I found out my pokemon and I tracked her down. I'm sorry she hurt your Cubchoo, but I'll help fix him up and make sure Idoun stays in sight and out of trouble."

The Beartic blinked. Both of Idoun's heads stared at her trainer. All three voices said at once, _You understand?_

"Well, uh, I guess I learned years ago but then I forgot, so I," Bree laughed, her hand on her neck and her eyes staring at the ground. Marvelous piece of earth, really. And a particularly jagged piece of multicolored rock. Oh, right. "Yeah, I understand what you're saying."

A long moment passed by. The mother Beartic unceremoniously opened her paws. Idoun dropped to the ground, groaning weakly. Her heads didn't even bother to snap at Bree as the trainer tended to her.

Taking her cub, the Beartic lumbered off. But before leaving, she turned her head to offer one final comment. _There will be no next time._

When she left, Bree turned back to her pokemon. With her medicine and encouragement, Idoun was soon standing on wobbled feet.

Her two heads barely even snapped at each other before the one on the left said, _Why did you save me-us?_

Bree didn't even look up as she massaged the dragons frozen legs. "Because you're part of the team."

Both heads swiveled to the voice. ..._What? But you hate me-us. Kazumi threatened me-us. Why did you come back?_

_You heard her_, came Kazumi's voice off to the side. _You're on our team. Why are we still talking about this?_

"Yeah," said Bree. "And since we're a team, that means we help each other out. Cheren and Bianca and I, we fight. We'll call each other names and shout and stuff. But we're best friends and we stick together. And even if we just yelled at each other, that doesn't mean anything because we've always got each others' back. And it's the same with me and all of you, and yes Idoun, that includes you too." She bent down on one knee, right in a puddle of what she sincerely hoped was water and scratched both their heads even though the bandage on her hand and for some reason the scars on her wrists screamed not to. "I know you're scared and hurting because you're two heads in one body and you each want the other one to stop. But I promise that once you learn to work together, you'll be unstoppable! And I bet that if that happens, you'll evolve and maybe your two minds will work together as one again. Cheren said that's what happened to his father's Duosion when it evolved into Reuniclus."

Perhaps if Idoun could see, and she saw Bree with her ratty pajamas and dirty boots, her tangled brown hair and tired blue eyes and bite-scarred wrists, the effect would have been ruined.

But Idoun had no eyes and could not see, so instead her two heads halfheartedly gnawed at each other and soon stopped. This working together thing...It made no sense. Shouldn't only the strong survive? Each head...Only one could be strong. The other was weak, and weakness needed to be eliminated.

Except that this human, Bree, worked with her pokemon. The Litwick named Erik was weak, but she cared for him the same. And he was becoming strong. She-they was weak. She-they was surprised by the mother Beartic, didn't stand a chance, deserved to die for her weakness.

But Bree rescued her, said that she-they could become strong. Even though the smell of fear rose from the trainer as she held Idoun was easily noticed by the dragon, Bree pressed on. She was strong. Stronger than Idoun, if not physically stronger.

And now, the delicious smell of freshly ground meat wafted from the ground in front of her. Idoun bent down to eat as Kazumi kept their heads apart.

The human who could speak to pokemon (Idoun had heard of another human who knew the language of pokemon, somewhere), who was her trainer now, made no sense. Strength by working together? Both heads would win? There was no way it could be true; even now Idoun snarled and snapped at herself over the last bits of food before Simon and Kazumi knocked her-their heads together.

But it was all so strange that Idoun had to find out more. So even though her instincts screamed to grab each others' necks and bite down, her heads just growled. For now. Because the war between Idoun and Idoun would continue until there was a clear winner.

* * *

The transmission feed was crappy, but if they didn't have the latest Xtransceiver model, then there wouldn't have been any service at all. Cheren was the one who convinced them to upgrade, and he smugly informed Bree of this before she interrupted him with rolling eyes and an amused sigh.

"So anyway, _Scowlyspecs_," she teased through the Xtransceiver, "Don't worry about me. I've got Idoun under control, at least for now, and I'll meet you guys at the exit!"

"Bree, I-"

_Click._

"Needed to give you a copy of the map...Of course." He turned his head. "Bianca, you ready?"

She hopped into view. Hopped because she was busy putting on her second shoe with one hand and brushing her hair with the other. And then, of course, she tripped and fell face-first on the ground. Cheren ran over and helped her up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." She brushed the grit off her face and snatched up her bag while Cheren readjusted her beret. "Come on, let's go!"

River and Nekoya were fast, and so they led the way through the winding tunnels of the aptly-named Twist Mountain. Bianca babbled as they walked, but Cheren didn't say much. Instead, he thought.

Strength. What did it mean, exactly? Physical power, obviously-though that was something Cheren lacked. But he more than made up for it with his intellectual acumen and use of strategy. Strength, no matter what the form, was the most important thing. Just as his parents learned, so did he. You found your strength and you honed it to a keen knife edge, you mastered it and made it your own, and you showed the world how strong you were. Nothing else mattered. Strength was everything.

And that's why he had to become the champion. Because that was his goal. Because that was his strength. Because if he wasn't strong, what was he? And what about his pokemon? If he couldn't lead them to victory, he'd be failing them as well. They didn't deserve that. They could be so much, but not without his guidance. Screw N and Team Plasma (and if that "king" laid one finger on Bree, Cheren really would have Nekoya castrate him before he cut off N's head himself and sent it to Ghetsis and the Shadow Triad in a box with a curled silk ribbon and colorful gift wrap), pokemon could only become truly strong with their trainers! And he was going to be the strongest of all!

Except that Bree kept defeating him. No matter how much he tried, now she was constantly defeating him. What was he worth if he couldn't defeat her? What should he do to win and regain his confidence? Change tactics? Train more? Get stronger pokemon?

No. Cheren mentally slapped himself for even thinking such a thing. They were a team and even if some of his pokemon weren't as strong as others, he would never abandon one of them for being weaker than another. Their partnership, their friendship, was stronger than raw numbers or statistics. The thought itself was reprehensible.

...Was this what Alder meant by, "Strength isn't everything?" That the friendships were more important than raw power? It was certainly an interesting hypothesis to go on.

He was about to start delving into this new theory when Bianca interrupted him with a scream. Wincing not from the sound of her voice (which he would grudgingly admit was pleasant to listen to, even when forced out in a shout) but from the sudden shock that jolted him from inner thoughts, Cheren looked up to see Bianca and River, previously walking ahead, running towards him with two Team Plasma goons close behind.

There went contemplation; a rather more pressing issue had now presented itself. A Watchog jumped out from behind the grunt to knock over and pin down Bianca. The grunt picked up her orange bag and began rummaging through it for her pokeballs when he felt something tap his shoulder.

That something turned out to be Julian's tail, which then proceeded to slap his face. Meanwhile, Nekoya pounced with a mighty yowl and knocked the Watchog backwards. This allowed Bianca to scramble to her feet and grab her bag.

The two teenagers stood side by side, back to back, pokeballs gripped in their hands. At the same time, they released all their pokemon at once. The creatures ran and slithered across the ground; or in Joralemon's case skimmed the ceiling of the cavern with wings, all to the Plasma grunts and their pokemon.

Their eyes bugged out and their jaws dropped at the twelve pokemon rushing them-even the young Meinfoo and wounded Axew.

"Hoooly fuck!" screamed an older, bearded Plasma grunt as he ran for it.

"Go, go and get them!" The younger Plasma grunt didn't even bother staying with his pokemon before running away.

Cheren and Bianca's pokemon all but trampled the Watchog before they were assailed by an indescribably putrid stench. Halted by the foul odor, the trainers looked up over their doubled-over pokemon to see three Trubbish and a Garbodor sending that foul gas over them by the command of another half-dozen Plasma grunts that had shown up.

Cheren recovered first. "Bree," he coughed, "I've got to warn Bree!" But even as he pounded her number into the Xtransceiver, the signal faded and died.

Next to him, Bianca cried out "Porkchop!" as several Krokorok jump-tackled the Pignite, pinning him to the floor, hiding him from view.

Julian and Marina sprang into action; the Simipour calling over her mate as the Simisage left his dual with another Liepard, his place taken by Nekoya. The three pokemon prepared to attack the hoard of Krokorok when a blinding flash of light burst from within the pile.

The mound of pokemon exploded outward; Krokoroks were sent flying every which way to collide with the walls and ceiling and slide to the floor. Some got up, others remained knocked out. At the center of what used to be the pile, hunched over in a battle crouch, was Porkchop.

Except that he was bigger now, stouter, thick muscles and thicker hide banding his body. Long curved tusks jutted out from his mouth to make Hector envious; a beard of flames rippled and reached out. Now an Emboar, Porkchop roared in satisfaction, uppercutting a tenacious Krokorok under the jaw, sending the pokemon flying and landing senseless.

"Porkchop!" Bianca ran to give her pokemon a hug, but was stopped by yet another member of Team Plasma.

"Oh no you don't," he said, brown eyes narrowed. "You forced him to evolve! How could you push your pokemon like that?"

"What? Don't you see that he did it on his own to protect himself," said Bianca.

Cheren sighed. "Bianca, you're not going to get through to them. They don't even know basic science either; it's evident in the way they casually falsify data and ignore statistics to obtain a pre-desired result." With a swift hand gesture, he commanded Ozymandias to take down a Tranquill struggling to fly in the cramped caverns. Behind him, Hector and Jiang worked together to defeat yet another Watchog.

Glancing to his side, Cheren saw Bianca commanding Marina and Corn with grace. Just like their trainers, the Simipour and Simisage worked in tandem, supporting each other's attacks, supplementing jets of freezing and scalding water with lashing vines, blocking blows. Bianca's face was drawn back in a determined, exhilarated grin; her hair was windswept though there was no wind and her beret was askew.

She really needed to be this confident so often. Lack of confidence, though par for the course when it came to his flighty friend, was only detrimental. Besides, she was quite beautiful when she was confident, whether on the stage or the field.

...He didn't just say that, did he?

Well, perhaps some percussive maintenance would take care of that.

...

Nope, didn't work. And now his head hurt too.

"Cheren, why are you banging your head against the wall? We've got a battle to fight!"

"Right. Right! Sorry." He whipped around, wishing for the umpteenth time that his hair wasn't stuck up in chuffs due to yesterday's hair gel incident. "Julian! Ozymandias!"

At his trainer's orders, Ozymandias lumbered into the fray and began stomping in a seemingly random, indiscriminate pattern. But they had practiced this before. Julian knew exactly where the Gigalith's heavy feet would land next, and as the pokemon of Team Plasma dodged, that was where the Serperior attacked.

And then Porkchop rammed into them, his newfound power sending Liepards and Krokoroks flinging outward as he charged. The number of battle-ready pokemon that Team Plasma had was dwindling by the minute.

Together, they were unstoppable. And with Bree and her pokemon in the mix, wherever they were, not even the Champion could stand up to their might.

...Strength?

Again, Cheren's wispy beginnings of an epiphany were interrupted by Kazumi loudly announcing her presence. By a booming roar that rattled the stalactites and rang in their ears, and knocking an attacking Garbodor to the side with her blades.

"Bree, there you are!"

"Yep," she said, tilting her hat to the side, "I heard the fight all the way down there-Idoun don't eat-!" She withdrew the Zweilous and continued, "So don't leave me out of this. Come on, guys!"

With Bree's help, the Plasma grunts were soon roundly defeated. As the grunts scooped up their pokeballs and turned to run with their tail between their collective legs like the cowards they were, Cheren couldn't help but offer one last parting shot.

"You know, if you're so set on freeing pokemon, then why don't you start with your own?"

"Because," said one grunt with a swelling black eye, courtesy of Bianca when he tried to grab Porkchop himself, "We're different! We're nice to our pokemon; we're better than you!"

Bree just looked at them. "Yeah, I don't think so. I heard your pokemon, and they don't want to be with you, not really. And I don't think they think you're nice."

The grunts fell silent. They looked at each other with paling faces.

"She can hear them?"

"Like...Lord N?"

"Pah, she's just making stuff up!" At that point, his phone rang. Everyone watched in silence as the Plasma grunt listened to whomever was speaking, saying things like, "Uh-huh," and, "Yeah, got it," and "Right!" Then he hung up. Slowly, he turned to the other grunts and punched the air in joy. "Yeah!"

"Al? What is it?"

"They got it! Haha, they got it!"

Cheren was now suspicious. "Got what?"

Another grunt just wagged her finger in her face. "Uh-uh, you'll just have to find out. Let's just say that we're one step closer to our goal! Team Plasma, move out!"

They were gone just as quickly as they came. Bree, Cheren, and Bianca looked at each other.

"We've got to stop them!"

"Stop them from what?"

"Don't know, don't care." But for some reason, call it a hunch, Bree was reminded of ancient myths, and long-forgotton yet somehow remembered tales of the dragons who made Unova.

She'd work it out and tell them later. "To Icirrus!"

They ran off, their pokemon beside them leading the way.

When they made it out of Twist Mountain, and looked upon the spread-out, marshy, waterlogged city, it was snowing.

* * *

The Vanillish shook his head. _No, I wanna stay with you! You're nice. I don't wanna stay here, even if it is nice and cold._

On a plateau above the city, the snow fell around N and the Vanillish in large flakes that tingled and melted upon contact with his bare wrists.

It was awfully pretty, the way the sky was grey and the snow was white, fluffy, quiet, soaking up all the sounds. He'd heard that no two snowflakes were alike. He'd try to experiment that, but right now N had a bigger problem.

"Look," he whined, placing one hand on a bony hip and pointing the other down by his feet with a pout, "I promised to set you free once I found a place you'd be comfortable, and here we are. So please, go and be free and be happy and be away from meanie trainers who hurt you! You shouldn't be forced to hurt others and hurt yourself in a fight because people want you to!"

A cloud of flurries puffed out from the pokemon's head to be joined with the falling snow. _But I like battling with you,_ he said. _And my old person was awful, but I like you. I'll be sad to see you go. And I want to fight alongside you._

N paused. Sure, he had heard other pokemon say that, heard the gym leaders' pokemon and their eagerness to fight, heard Bree's pokemon. But he had never heard that from his pokemon (he had never asked, because their answer would always be no), not even from Zorro.

...What if he did ask?

Was this what Bree was talking about? What the rest of them were talking about?

N shook his head in a futile effort to drive the doubt from his mind. This was making him second-guess, doubt his certainty, and Bree was already doing enough of that.

He'd win, make her his queen, and then she'd see. He'd make her queen, and then she'd see.

He looked up, through the thick clouds and white snow (pure, untainted, like N. N was pure. Was Bree pure?) to the faint outline of a pillar towering in the distance.

Dragonspiral Tower. He'd been told the stories. That's where he'd become friends with the legendary pokemon, and become the king of the new world, a good king, and liberate the pokemon (even his? Even Zorro?).

The ringing of a phone thankfully ripped him out of a fresh wave of doubt. He fumbled with the device, still not entirely sure how to make it work. "Uh, hello?"

The voice was...Happy, and all the more unnerving for it. "King N, my boy!"

That was Ghetsis. He'd never said anything like that before. N didn't know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing; some inner instinct (the bad part of him tainted by the meanies Outside?) told him to proceed with caution. "Yes?"

"We got it."

N nearly dropped the phone. "R-Really?" That was it. The Light Stone, or the Dark Stone, it didn't matter. Because now he would befriend the legendary, and all his plans, all his dreams would come true.

"Yes, the Light Stone." His voice was soft, compelling. "N, I have a mission with the Shadow Triad. I will deliver the stone with them after its completion." His voice lowered again, now a familiar pitch. "Don't mess this up."

"Yes, Fa-Ghetsis. I'll make friends with the pokemon and become the champion! You'll be so proud of me!" He hung up and smiled to the sky.

"Alright, Vanillish. You can stay. For now, at least." He wasn't even paying much attention anymore; his whole insides were caught up in the warm glow that he got when he solved a particularly difficult equation. N knew his destiny, what he had been trained for, what he had been selected for. He would befriend Reshiram, and become the champion, and free the hurt pokemon, and make Bree his queen.

And everything would be good and nice and happy again, and all the math would add up, and the growing parts of him that said, "No N, don't do it!" would be quiet and everything would be right.

And they would all live happily ever after.

* * *

Cradling the small white stone in his hand, Ghetsis clicked off the phone and turned around. The Shadow Triad stood at attention behind him, except for Epsilon, who fidgeted with the bandage on his face. He didn't even bother with basic formalities as he shoved three identical packets into each of their hands. As he did so, he barked, "There's going to be a slight change of plans. I want you to fulfill this part of our plan now. Money and passports will be included, and I need you back within the next two weeks."

Zero looked over the plans, at the four items to be stolen overseas, and frowned. "Leader Ghetsis, there's a slight problem."

Ghetsis' voice was sickly sweet, like poisoned honey. "Oh? What is it?"

Zero gulped. He knew this was a bad idea, especially after Epsilon and Chargestone Cave...But still. This needed to be addressed. "I understand the importance of our mission, but these items will definitely be guarded. She has two fighting types with her-a Lucario and, even worse for us, an Infernape. And if it's Cynthia, then that Garchomp-!"

His worries were abruptly cut off when Ghetsis closed his hand around the Shadow Triad member's skinny neck. "Listen," the sage hissed, "I don't care. I know you're capable of this mission and if you fuck this up..."

"Leader," Theta interrupted, "I understand why we need the first three items, but what about the fourth?"

Ghetsis leaned back, a serpent's lazy smirk on his face. "Because," he all but purred as he patted the pokeball containing his Hydreigon, "N isn't bite-sized anymore."

Theta got it first, practically doubling over with laughter. The other two members joined in, followed by Ghetsis. And when he stopped, the other three stopped as well. Because he then said, "But you still are."

If it was possible, Zero's stoic face grew paler. He knew Ghetsis wasn't bluffing, and this had been all but confirmed with Epsilon's earlier punishment. He deserved to have been punished; they all knew that. As Ghetsis had said, "What if you had killed him? Even with the genetic samples it would take years to get to this point again! And it would be even harder since we've publicly shown ourselves!"

Zero expected Epsilon to be forced to apologize, or denied food, or possibly be kicked off the Shadow Triad for some time.

He wasn't expecting his younger half-brother to be forced to fight Leader's Bisharp.

Clad in only his underwear, Epsilon had been thrown into the ring. Even though he was able to score a few glancing blows off the Bisharp's helmet, Epsilon's durable bones were covered by squishy vulnerable flesh. It only took two minutes before Epsilon was forced to his knees, bleeding from several slashes, the Bisharp's bladed hand to his throat as Ghetsis and the other two members of the Shadow Triad looked on.

And Zero had begged. Theta had said nothing, and Ghetsis forced Zero to get down on his knees and _beg._ He had tried to maintain his dignity, but that just made Ghetsis hit him on his hard head, force him to the ground, hit his face against Leader's shoe.

And when Zero had begged and debased himself, Ghetsis let Epsilon go. Or, to be more exact, threw the wounded member of the Shadow Triad into his companions' arms while growling, "Clean him up and don't ask for me until I call you again."

So when Leader Ghetsis now said, "If you fuck this up, I will feed you to Hydreigon," Zero knew he wasn't lying.

As he left, the Shadow Triad looked at each other, at the package with disguises, forged passports airline tickets, and money they had been given. They already knew what they would do.

They would fulfill this mission. They would complete the plans. They would do whatever Ghetsis asked them too.

Because he was Leader, and he saved their lives (oh, how many times he had told them this story, how detailed, with new embellishments each time, so detailed that it had to be truth), and he told them the truth with N and Team Plasma, the whole truth, and their role in it.

And so they would follow him forever.

* * *

A/N: Dun dun dun! Didja like the last parts? I hope you did...

Anyway, we're getting closer to the endgame. You think shit's gotten real so far? Oh just you wait!


	26. Would You Stand By Me?

Yes, it's shorter, yes it's kind of a transition and a filler. I'm sorry, okay? But stuff does happen in this chapter! And I swear to god that I WILL update again later this week, even though I have prom! Okay? I'm going to update later this week and it's gonna be a doozy of an update.

But for now...Please enjoy!

* * *

"Happy birthday, Bianca!"

The two humans and dozen-and-a-half pokemon crowded around Bianca as she blew out the seventeen candles on her chocolate mousse chocolate cake. With chocolate icing and chocolate frosting letters. And, next to it, a bowl of double chocolate chip ice cream with hot fudge, brownies, chocolate chip cookie bits, and chocolate sprinkles. Of course, such a sugary feast wouldn't be complete without a tall glass of milk.

Chocolate milk. Cheren watched his best friend down the mass-murder by chocolate, her favorite meal, with nothing more than a single raised eyebrow and an amused twitch of the lips.

"Bianca," he finally said, "Don't you think that might be a bit too much chocolate?"

She looked at Cheren as if the young nerd had asked her to run laps around the Icirrus pokemon center, which was currently covered in knee-deep snow. While naked. "How could you say that? Everyone knows there's no such thing as too much chocolate!"

Bree loudly agreed by grabbing a spoon as if it were a shovel and digging in. Cheren laughed and cut a slice for himself as well.

"Sorry River," Bianca said to her Stoutland who was currently conspiring with Kaylee to get some of the cake, "But I don't think you can have chocolate." They hung their heads and whimpered until Bree fished out some treats from her bag.

Bree, Cheren, and Bianca ate the chocolatey concoction, shared stories and laughs, and played with their pokemon as the neverending snow gently fell outside.

Except that the perpetual snowfall actually ended later in the day, in early afternoon when the shadows lengthened along the vast expanse of white. They walked out of the pokemon center, bundled up their coats and tightened their scarves, and released some of their pokemon.

Kaylee and River's thick coats protected them from the snow, but Simon shivered and loudly complained until Bree withdrew him.

"Wait," said Bianca as they walked through the city, "Where are we going?"

Cheren pointed dramatically. "Here."

Beyond snow-blanketed hills and thick frozen grass, in the center of a large lake, a gigantic gray stone tower, the ancient Dragonspiral tower, stood before them.

There were no windows, and no way in, but the sight still took their breath away. A small figure swooped into view, growing larger. Joralemon landed on the ground and trilled at Cheren. A large saddle was strapped to the Unfezant's back, which Cheren adjusted as he said, "Bianca, I know you didn't get to go flying with us before, so I bought a saddle that would fit two people." After a look from Bree, Cheren rolled his eyes and amended, "Okay, Bree helped chip in some cash. Do you want to go flying with me?"

Bianca's response was to squeal in delight and hop onto Joralemon's back. As Cheren followed her, he extended a hand to Bree.

"I know there's not enough room for all three of us," he said, "But do you want to ride Eve and race us to the top of the tower?"

Bree looked at Eve, who was practically hovering in the air with anticipation. She looked up at the tower...Towering, for lack of a better word as far up as she could see, blocking the sun; she paled a bit and shook her head. "Nuh-uh."

"Aw, come on," teased Bianca. "You scared?"

...The truth was, she was scared. Even though N seemed dead-set convinced that Bree was a "hero" or whatever crap he was making up, Bree couldn't be some hero. No way, not even if she was able to speak with pokemon like him. She wasn't brave, she wasn't courageous. She was scared of Idoun; she was scared of heights. She was scared of Deinos and Zweilous and Hydreigons. She was scared of people grabbing her wrists. She was scared of dark, cramped spaces. She was scared of needles, to the point where the doctor had to hold her down every time she got vaccinations. And that made things worse because she was also scared of being held down, pinned down, restrained.

She was afraid of too many things.

So as Joralemon took off, Bree stepped forward, her face set. "Eve?"

_All right!_ The Archeops swooped behind her and out of sight. As the sound of beating wings drew closer, Bree braced herself-

Talons encircled her shoulders, expertly gripping her upper arms without piercing her clothes or cutting her flesh. Bree's stomach lurched as she felt herself be dragged forward and upwards, felt her feet rise off the ground.

Eve crowed, _Grab on!_ and Bree's hands gripped her scaly legs. Grunting against the added weight, swaying back and forth, Eve flew straight up the side of the tower, instead of flying in an upward spiral like Joralemon was currently doing.

Grey stone raced past them, ancient cracked stone from so far back that not even memory was recorded. The wind whipped her hair and sliced through her jacket as Bree looked inside tiny windows far up the tower, far too small for her to enter. Her flailing feet pushed off the stone as they reached the top.

Cheren and Bianca were already on the empty platform at the top of the tower; the young man was brushing his hands as Joralemon preened himself. Bree landed and shivered.

The air was even colder up here, and the wind even more violent. Every few seconds Cheren's scarf decided to smack its wearer in his face. On top of that, the air was not only cold, but also thin and hard to breathe. Her friends seemed okay with it, but Bree was scrabbling for her inhaler after just a few seconds.

They looked around, squinting against the icy wind. The clouded sky made the air damp and indicated that the snow would start again soon. Fallen and half-fallen pillars lay on the ground, their rubble marking what could have been either age or an ancient battle. The columns, Bree noticed, seemed to mark a path to a raised dais on the other side of the top of the tower. The platform was pure white marble, still alabaster even with age, even with the black scorch marks streaking the marble here and there.

It would have been eerily beautiful in the summer, or even on a clear day. But it was winter in Icirrus, and the sky above was threatening to open up with snow again.

Cheren shivered and sneezed, pulling the checkered blue scarf tighter around himself. "It's really cold," he said. "Bianca, do you want to go back down?" Her lips blue, she nodded. Getting on Joralemon's back, Bianca wrapped her arms around Cheren's waist and buried her face into the back of his neck.

Bree stayed at the top of Dragonspiral tower for a little while longer. She looked around at the rubble, couldn't help but notice the heavy foreboding feeling in the air.

She shook her head. It was probably nothing. Gripping Eve's legs, she descended as well. Best get back to the pokemon center and give Bianca her birthday present too-she knew just how much her friend wanted that shopping spree.

* * *

Another benefit to having retractable blades: No tussling with annoyingly-sealed bags to get them open.

Zero tore open yet another bag of dried chople berries and downed them all at once as, beside him, Theta and Epsilon did the same.

It was winter here too, and the resort area in Sinnoh was as deserted as Undella back home currently was. That was good; it meant they could afford to be less cautious if it came to that.

Theta jimmied the lock on the large austere mansion. After several tense moments, it clicked open.

For a moment Zero wondered if anyone actually lived in the house, so clean were the rooms, floor, and furniture. But as their eyes fully adjusted to the dark, the Shadow Triad could see dirt and scuff marks on the floor and slight wear on the furniture. This house was lived in, but its occupant, or occupants, kept everything very clean. And they weren't here right now. He closed his eyes at this blessing.

But they had no time to inspect the mansion, much less relax. They were on a mission from Ghetsis.

"Split up," Zero said. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Theta nodded. "Let's not mess this up." The threat played in their heads. They didn't need to say it out loud, and certainly didn't need to hear it again.

Theta stayed downstairs while Zero and Epsilon searched the second floor. They walked along a corridor lined with pictures and posters, past a music box that played a plinking tune, and into what Zero would later call the Trophy Room.

Plaques, badges, trophies, articles, all were framed and placed into trophy cases. Every badge of the Sinnoh region, the mantle of the champion, the newspaper articles and trophies from the battle frontier, all were gleaming and shining from love and care and lots of polish, all were reverentially placed on display.

And there, under a picture of Cynthia, Dawn, and their two teams of pokemon, were the four items they were looking for.

Epsilon muttered a, "Kssst," as he pried open the case; Zero kept watch as he did so. A white eyepatch, a souvenir from his punishment, still covered Epsilon's eye. A smooth scar still poked out from the end of the bandage.

As Epsilon swept the four items into the bag, he couldn't help but ask aloud, "I understand the first three, but why the fourth? Why would she have something like that?"

Zero shrugged. "A perverse sense of humor, perhaps? It doesn't matter."

Epsilon nodded, moved to slam the case door close when Zero glared at him. Lowering his head, he gently closed it instead.

They walked down the stairs, hugging the edge and gripping the banisters to prevent the oaken panels from creaking and announcing their presence. "Theta," the de facto leader of the Shadow Triad whispered into the gloom, "We found it. Let's go."

Out of the gloom came silence. A faint glow was reflected in the corner of a white wall on the other side of the room.

Beckoning Epsilon to walk beside him, Zero sneaked over to the other side of the house, where the glow pulsed off the wall. "Theta?"

Her white hair was orange in the reflected light; her eyes were wide in what Zero realized was outright fear.

An Infernape, a model of a specimen, his fur pearly white, his chest plates gleaming, his glossy crown dancing with bright fire, his limbs rippling with taut, sinewy muscles, stared down the Shadow Triad.

The three thieves edged toward the door, but at the sight of the bag, the Infernape let out a shriek and launched a flaming punch at Theta.

With nothing more then a yelp and grunt, she flew backwards from the impact to crash into the wall, where she slid to the floor senseless.

The Infernape, a veteran of many battles and apparently the watch-pokemon of the house while his trainer was gone for the weekend, ran to Theta when Epsilon intervened. With a hiss, he pulled up Theta with one hand and, with the other, slashed the attacking pokemon all the way up his brown-furred arm.

The Infernape-Roy, Zero remembered from some news story somewhere-yelped something that turned into an unmistakable, disbelieved shout that clearly meant, _What the fuck?_ when Epsilon flashed his trademark edged, wild-eyed, deranged grin and slowly licked the bloodied blade.

That was Zero's chance. Propelling himself off the couch, running along the keys of the sleek black grand piano, he jumped onto Roy and with a shout of, "Get away from her!" he plunged both blades into his chest.

They clanged off the armor and barely penetrated the Infernape's flesh. The wounds were far from lethal, weren't even incapacitating. But they were enough to slow him down for a while. As Roy stumbled and clutched the wounds, Zero picked up Theta, Epsilon grabbed the bag, and they ran out the door.

The night air was cold, and the half-frozen pond was even colder. Without hesitation, they plunged a weakly groaning Theta into the pond up to her neck and cut off her clothes.

The fire-resistant outfit that Ghetsis had given all three of them (let it never be said that Leader did not care for them, unlike N), as well as the utterly rediculous amounts of chople berries they had all eaten before the robbery had mitigated the worst of the damage. But an angry burn was spread across her chest, and the normally stoic Theta whimpered and yelped when Zero gently pressed her ribs; the heat from the Infernape's attack had softened the metal.

"Okay," said Zero, "The good news is that your bones aren't broken. The heat actually fused any fractures back together." He thrust out a hand behind him. "Epsilon, max potion, burn heal, full restore. Now."

"Did we get it?" asked Theta weakly as her half-brothers rubbed the salve onto the burns.

"Yes."

"Good." She closed her eyes as the icy water and salve took away the pain. They succeeded. That was what was important.

* * *

_"-Gonna need a bigger pokeball-"_

Click.

_"-Project, meant to help gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender teens, was founded by Arthur Burgh after learning about the suicide of -"_

Click.

_"-Infernape was injured in the robbery, but she refuses to say what items were-"_

Click.

_"-Next time on Are You Smarter Than A Kadabra?-"_

Click. Bree chucked the remote at the television, where it hit the wall several feet to the left and fell to the ground. With a dramatic sigh, she flung herself back on the bed.

They should just call Icirrus city Blizzard city. She and her friends had been stuck here for nearly two weeks and there had been one single clear day. And then it started snowing at twilight! She wasn't too sure what her friends had been doing, but she figured that Cheren was probably looking for the gym leader. They had spend several days searching for Team Plasma but couldn't find any evidence of their presence. Which, admittedly, was a bit unnerving, but Bree wasn't about to complain.

"Bree!" That was Bianca, wound up from excitement. Bree opened the door to find her friend standing there with sheets of snow blanketed all over her, dripping in places, a grin plastered on her face. "You gotta come outside right now! There's this like freaking amazing snowball fight going on and even the pokemon are involved, come on!"

Not needing to be told twice, Bree grabbed her gloves and jacket, and ran out the door. To be greeted by snowballs flinging through the air and pelting everyone within sight. Any pokemon who could throw stuff was in on the action; Marina and Corn threw snowballs back and forth alongside their trainers while Hector and Jiang made more ammunition and carried it back and forth.

"You think Corn's going to stand up to our assault? Grass type, Bianca," Cheren said while throwing snowballs. Marina stuck out a teasing tongue while she threw snow at her mate.

And then Kazumi roared her signature cry (that only Bree knew actually meant, in this case, a shout of _Don't start without me!_) and lobbed snowballs left and right alongside Bree while Simon and Kaylee tunneled a snow fort.

Saying, "Hereeeee's Bree!" she hurled a snowball at her friend's shiny Axew. Only to receive four more right in her face. She brushed the snow out of her eyes and lashes to see Cheren high-fiving Bianca and his Simipour.

With a narrow grin, she scooped up another handful and packed it into a crude sphere. "Oh, it's on!"

"Strategy, Bree, and I have more of it right now than you'll ever have in a lifetime!"

Bianca joined in, throwing powdered snow that scattered in the air and dusted everyone. "Yeah, well...Well, I'm gonna do my best!"

Snow flew through the air, indiscriminately pelting targets and random objects alike. Some pokemon sat to the side, watching the show. Others actively participated, whether it was on the front lines hurling the fluffy ammunition or playing defense, building icy forts and snowy shields.

Even though Hector was a dragon-type and was therefore one of the first to be affected by the cold, he still participated in the snowball fight, as Corn did too. The Simisage and Simipour targeted each other exclusively, grins on their mouths and exhilarated shouts on their lips. And they all fought-no, played-of their own will.

Their pure laughs, their actions finally and reluctantly convinced N of this. He was watching from a ledge above, his light green hair blending in with the tall grass. He was cold, but he didn't feel it, watching these people and pokemon.

Watching the humans play, watching their pokemon play, watching them play as equals and of their own volition while their peals of laughter echoed all the way above to where he was lying...N's heart hurt. It hurt like it hurt when Bree walked away, back in Nimbasa after the Ferris Wheel.

N wasn't lonely. How could he be lonely? He was a king. He had subjects. He grew up in a colorful place, with all the toys and games he ever wanted. He had had pokemon, pokemon that he played with and grew up with, just like they were right now. He had had tutors-Anthea and Concordia-who showed him math, taught him how to be king and wear clothes. And he had Ghetsis, the nice sage, who wanted his son to be the perfect king he was born to be. And, and he had people friends too, when he was little! Sure, Ghetsis said that they weren't real, that N made them up (and their pokemon too), but he still had had them.

So no. He wasn't lonely. How could he be, when he had grown up with so much? He was a prince, and now he was a king, and he had never wanted for anything. So the twisting hunger-pain in his gut, the pang in his heart, made no sense. It was an aberration, an error, some leftover from bad food he had eaten earlier that day. Because he wasn't lonely.

And then a rather large snowball smashed into Kazumi's face, and the Samurott dramatically toppled over with a mighty roar. N stood up to run down there and...Scream, or shout, or something, when he heard Bree's pokemon actually speak.

He was the only human who could understand Kazumi's hyperbolically dramatic, amusingly sardonic speech containing anachronistic terms like, "Oh, I am slain!" and "A pox on all your houses!". Until he remembered Bree. She could understand pokemon too. When Bree, the beautiful heroine (he knew it now, she was the other, there was always another, a foil to the true hero, which was him), translated her Samurott's melodramatic speech and the humans joined their pokemon in insensible fits of giggles, and when even that Zweilous stopped fighting with itself and started laughing, N turned away.

It hurt too much to watch anymore.

* * *

The wrist bandages were excellent at keeping their blades sheathed at the airport, and even without them nothing would have been able to be seen through thick jackets, but Zero found them constricting, and his other teammates thought the same.

Brushing dyed green hair out of his eyes, which were made slightly uncomfortable by equally verdant contacts (Ghetsis had provided each of them with hair dye and contacts to match; Theta had chosen blue while Epsilon picked red), Zero melted into a corner of the airplane terminal where nobody would notice him and dialed Ghetsis.

He picked up after the second ring. "Yes?"

"We got it. All of it."

Ghetsis' exhale was a hiss through the phone. "Perfect. You see? I supplied you with everything. There was never anything to worry about."

Zero nodded, even though he knew Leader couldn't hear. "Theta was injured," he said in a flat, matter-of-fact tone. "If it weren't for the new suits, that Infernape would have killed her." She was still badly injured; she and Epsilon were currently in the bathroom rubbing yet another entire case of burn heal on her chest.

"But she wasn't." His voice was even more neutral than Zero's. "So everything is fine. Do you have the airplane tickets? Did anyone see you?"

"Yes and no, other than the Infernape." He looked around at the busy terminal of Snowpoint Airport, at all the people and the baggage checks and scanners. Glancing down at his bag, and what was in there...

"Leader," he said, lowering his voice into even more of a hiss, "Why must we fly on a public plane? The smell of all those people...And, even worse, what if they find everything in the baggage scanner?"

But Leader had an answer for everything. He always did. "Did you put something else made of metal into the bag?"

"Yes."

"Then watch. Everything will be fine. I need to prepare Team Plasma. I'll see you in Mistralton." He hung up with a click.

So Zero watched as Epsilon led a slightly staggering Theta out of the restroom and placed the bag on the conveyor belt. And just as he thought, the metal detector went into overdrive when they stepped through.

But as a security guard stepped forward to pat the three of them down, Zero had an explanation, rehearsed and at the ready. He hung his head, spoke softly like he thought a nervous child would sound like (like N), made himself seem small and harmless.

"I'm sorry," he easily lied, "My siblings and I, we're triplets and we were born with some sort of medical condition that makes our bones weak. We've got metal implants and braces to help us walk, but they set off the metal detectors..."

"Jasper," the woman sitting at the machine said, "There seem to be blades in here."

"That's mine," Epsilon blurted. "They're Skarmory feathers. I collect them. I heard that people used to make swords out of them, and...And I heard that Steven Stone fences with Skarmory feathers. I'd love to meet him one day."

Hidden by his hung head, Zero smiled. The first part, at least, was true. Epsilon was learning quickly.

The two security officials looked at the Shadow Triad with what melted into pitying looks as they digested the given sob story, saw Theta holding her chest, saw the scarring wound over Epsilon's eye.

"It's okay," said the woman, "You can go. But I'm going to have to check this bag."

"Okay," he said with a nod as the three walked off.

Once they sat down and watched the planes leave and land, watched the humans clear the runways of stray snow, the Shadow Triad shared a smirk. How easy, how pathetic to get past the machine. Humans were so emotional, so easy to manipulate. Just like the members of Team Plasma, just like N.

Ghetsis was a human, but he knew this too. That's why he deserved to be leader. Everything was perfect. Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

A/N: I hoped you liked it...

Yeah, in the Alphabet Soup universe, Arty founded the It Gets Better project. I'm still not too sure what to call it though.

Next Chapter: Shit gets real! (And it's gonna be a LONG one. Like, really long. I better get started if I want it up by Friday!)


	27. Your Faith Walks On Broken Glass

Aww yeah, this chapter. I really, really hope you enjoy it. And please, tell me if you did and what you liked about it!

* * *

Brycen Andrews had been one of the most famous actors in Unova. His chiseled visage and icy eyes adorned nearly every action, sci-fi, and suspense movie poster from the past decade, decade-and-a-half. He was in all the tabloids, hordes of screaming fangirls mobbed his limo, the red carpet was rolled out for him and him alone.

The fame would go to anyone's head, and it hit Brycen especially hard. After one particularly nasty scandal that was sordid even by tabloid standards (involving many drunken rants, obscenely large amounts of drugs-including enough narcotics to tranquilize a Tyranitar-adultery, at least half a dozen prostitutes, several...Regretful comments, and a sex tape or three somewhere in the mix), the famous actor completely vanished from public life. (Exaggeration? Possibly.)

And then he returned several years later, a little older, a lot wiser. He had tried so long and so hard to forget his past, start with a clean blank slate, but he learned he couldn't. And though he never quite shook hands with his past, Brycen eventually made peace with it, forgave himself for it. He couldn't forget who he once was, couldn't leave his past behind no matter how hard he tried, but he could scour the rubble, take something from it and start something new. With a cold, aloof demeanor and a mask around his eyes, Brycen assumed a new identity (though never forgetting the old) as the laconic, publicity-loathing ice-type gym leader of Icirrus.

Bree knew this because she was battling him right now, in a frozen grotto that may or may not have been an offshoot of the adjacent Twist Mountain. A portion of the battlefield was open to the sky. As it was one of Icirrus' rare clear nights, the splash of glittering stars that hung above provided a breathtaking backdrop to the fight on the ground.

Breath hung suspended before Bree as she commanded Simon. Forceful relentless blasts of icy wind from the foe Crygonal sent the pokemon skidding backwards along the slick ground; the Excadrill dragged his claws along the thin ice until he ground to a stop. Frost left patterns along his metal claws and helmet-like protrusion; it stuck to his skin and hurt to the touch.

"Simon," his trainer said, "That's it! Now take him down!"

Glaring up over the giant snowflake-like pokemon, Simon reared back as much as he could while still gripping the ice with his claws, and sucked in a huge breath. He lumbered forward, like a boulder, lowering his head to brace against the frigid blasts of air, making sure that he always had one claw dug into the ground.

Standing off to the sidelines, Cheren and Bianca watched intently. Bianca cheered on her friend while Cheren was silent, revisiting and revising strategies in his head, figuring out how best to defeat Brycen when half his team had a type disadvantage. But part of his mind revisited an earlier, more worrying topic. Since they had left Nuvema, had something about him...Changed?

Cheren shook it off. He'd ponder it later. Meanwhile, Simon lurched inexorably towards the Crygonal.

Brycen was nonplussed. "Up," he said.

But as Crygonal rose in the air, Simon put on another burst of speed. Lunging forward, he thrust his claws outward. Snagging the opposing pokemon, he dragged the Crygonal down.

Brycen smiled. "Your friendship with your pokemon," was all he said. Followed by, "But can you counter mine? Kumaris."

Kumaris turned out to be a huge Beartic, who raised his paws up high. Above him the sky darkened for a moment from a passing cloud, then cleared again.

"Simon, return." Her hand passed over each pokeball, deciding who to use. Simon was tired from that battle. Idoun was right out. Eve would be almost as bad a choice. Erik had a type advantage, but he was so much smaller. Kaylee would be a good choice, but with her thick fur, she wanted to save her for the Vanilluxe she knew Brycen had. Only Kazumi left...And honestly, Bree was probably going to send out her Samurott anyway.

Kazumi shook her mane and roared a challenge. She drove one sword into the ground and gripped onto it, holding out the other in a defensive stance.

And yet Brycen gave no order and Kumaris did not attack. Instead, the Icirrus gym leader stared up at the sky.

"Who are you?" he said. His voice was curt, sharp.

What? Bree tilted her head. "Uh, I'm Bree. And those are my friends, Cheren and Bianca."

Now Kumaris sniffed the air, and Kazumi joined the Beartic. She looked at her trainer with worried crimson eyes. _Bree..._

Brycen raised his voice. "I know you are there! Show yourselves!"

A soft snicker echoed through the grotto before being swallowed by the snow. Three skinny figures dropped to the ground, surrounding the humans and their pokemon. They yelped; Bree and Cheren grabbed a pokeball while Bianca took a step backwards and clutched her bag.

One member of the Shadow Triad, two long fresh scars veering dangerously close to his eye, smirked. "Impressive, Gym Leader of Icirrus City. We, the Shadow Triad, are beings of shadows and darkness...And not easily noticed."

Another one, the leader, glanced at Bree. "Our mission was to speak only with Bree, but so be it." He paused and recited from memory. "Ghetsis has a message for you: Come to Dragonspiral Tower."

The last one-the female with the sadistic streak-let out a single laugh and added her part of the message before the three trainers and the gym leader were even able to fully process the previous bit: "Lord N is waiting for you." Her grin was downright predatory; there was no other way to describe it.

Brycen was the first to reorient himself. "Wait! What do you mean by Dragonspiral Tower? Wait, tell me!"

But the Shadow Triad vanished. Brycen whipped around and recalled his Beartic. "I'm sorry," he said at a frantic pace, "But this gym battle has to wait. I'm headed to Dragonspiral Tower!" Without even waiting for a reply, he ran off.

Bree, Cheren, and Bianca shared one charged glance, then ran after him.

* * *

Cheren was the fastest of the three, so when he chased after Brycen in an all-out sprint, it wasn't surprising that he was the first of the three to catch up.

Bree and Bianca dashed after him when they saw an older man-Professor Cedric Juniper, she remembered from their brief meeting in Mistralton-staring up at Dragonspiral Tower from before the thicket.

"Bree and Bianca, right?" he said without turning around. "That young man-Cheren told me you would be coming. You saw that, right?"

Trying to peer through the thicket, Bree saw only bare twisted branches. "Saw what?"

He shook his head. "A rather large group of Team Plasma members busted through the entrance of the tower and went inside!" Ignoring the yelps from the two girls, and the knot of dread in his own gut, he continued. "Brycen and Cheren, the two of them went after Team Plasma, but..."

She didn't even wait to finish his sentence. "I'm going! Kazumi, let's kick some Plasma ass!"

"I'll...Uh..." Bianca trailed off when she noticed that her friend was running as fast as she could inside. She looked back to the other Juniper. She was weak, she knew that. Not nearly as strong as Bree or Cheren, who were both awesome. But she couldn't lose her pokemon again! And...Maybe there was some way she could help out?

"Uh...Professor? Could I please stay here and be your bodyguard?"

He let out a hearty laugh. "Of course you can! In fact, we'll both guard each other, and guard your friends. That way if any more Team Plasma members come calling, we can fight them off!"

Bianca reddened a bit under her green beret and blonde bangs. See? She was useful too!

Not even stopping as her lungs seared and her legs burned, Bree ran through the hole in the now-ruined wall and inside the tower. When she went inside, her legs wobbled and would have given out under her if not for a nearby fallen pillar that she grasped with both hands. Sucking in a long breath through her inhaler, Bree took a look around.

Bits of silken tapestries, cracked jade, and gold leaf that through the ages stubbornly clung to the corners of the walls, the cracked marble floor with the deep groove in the middle where water was once stored, the ornately carved pillars that were now rubble around her, all signaled that this was once a place where something was revered...Perhaps worshiped.

Though it was rather strange. This tower had been here before Icirrus was. And yet there was much less mold and decay than she thought there would be. Shouldn't the tower be almost completely crumbled by now? Yet despite the cracks and fallen columns, it seemed mostly structurally sound. With her breath returning, Bree took a look around, her eyes whipping to the far end of the room when she heard her name.

"Bree," Cheren repeated, cupping his hands around his mouth to project his voice. He was standing on a platform at the far end of the room, beyond several broken, crumbling columns, before a spiraling staircase. Satisfied that he had his friend's attention, he said, "It's tricky getting up the columns, but once you do they're both sturdy and wide enough to safely walk on. Hurry up; I'm going after Team Plasma!"

As before, Cheren didn't wait for a response before running up the stairs. Bree looked back at the fallen pillar. Though she wasn't too fond of heights, she rather liked climbing and considered herself fairly decent at it. But to use up what energy she had when she could run faster instead...

"Eve," Bree said as she sent out her Archeops, "Can you please help me out?"

Eve did more than help Bree up the pillar. _Thank you for flying Air Archeops,_ she said as she set Bree down in front of the staircase, giving her trainer a little bow as she did so.

That brief moment of levity was shattered with the sounds of a fight up above. "Eve, let's go!"

* * *

Bree could barely move, there were so many pokemon fighting, much less hear more than a few words above the din. Cheren and Brycen, back to back, fought off over two dozen Team Plasma grunts. There wasn't even any banter from Cheren as his blue eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

Kumaris and Ozymandias were the physical powerhouses, enduring battering blows from aggressive Krokoroks and vicious Watchogs while retaliating with stomping feet and crushing claws. While a Liepard would ineffectually claw at the Gigalith's stony hide, Brycen's Beartic would swing a powerful blow at the cat pokemon and lay it out flat in a single hit.

Julian and Nekoya slithered and stalked throughout the field. Their silent movements and dappled patterns that blended with the many shadows and dim lighting made them nearly impossible to spot. Until a Garbodor felt wicked-sharp talons or snaring vines, and by then it was too late.

Marina, meanwhile, teamed up with Brycen's Vanilluxe. It was like watching a dance, watching the two fight. The two worked in tandem, supplementing each others' attacks, following up scalding heat with freezing cold.

Crygonal and Joralemon scoured the battlefield from above. Very few pokemon were able to fly up or jump high enough to attack them, and those that were able to were targeted first. Their job was to intervene and provide aerial support, which they did with aplomb. More than once an attacking pokemon would be swooped upon by the Unfezant, or sniped in the back of the head by Crygonal's ice beams; at that point all the Plasma grunt could mutter was, "So this is the true might of a gym leader."

On the other side of the fray, Hector found himself fighting two Watchog at once, his large jutting tusks keeping them at bay. But then a Scraggy on the brink of evolution joined in, knocking the Axew loose and sending him dangerously near a large gap in the floor that opened up to the level below. It was at this point where a lithe Glaceon, a gift to Brycen from his niece Candice, ducked under the Watchogs' legs and whipped around with a blast of ice that knocked all three opposing pokemon backwards.

Brycen raised his voice above the cries of the fighting pokemon. "Bree, you go on ahead! We'll hold them off."

"What?" She had already sent out Kaylee and Kazumi to assist her friend.

"We'll be fine," said Cheren. "But there are a lot of them. Oh, what a complete bother!" He then started, as if he remembered something important. "Where's Bianca?"

"I think she's keeping watch with Professor Juniper outside."

The young nerd smiled. "Perfect. That way they won't be able to get reinforcements. Bree, listen to me. We. Will. Be. Fine. Something's going on upstairs, N is involved, and you're the only one who has a chance of getting through to him. Now go!"

The urgency in her friend's voice was not lost on Bree. Recalling her two pokemon, she turned on her heel and ran up yet another set of ornate spiral stairs to be greeted by a rather odd sight.

Dozens, maybe hundreds of small clay automatons ambled around the giant room and the small rooms surrounding it. Blue in color, with strange spiral patterned plates attached to their chests, their misshapen eyes and cracks in their clay armor shone with a dim light from within. They ignored Bree's presence, instead continuing their mindless duty given hundreds, thousands, of years ago. Walking in what may or may not have been a pre-programmed pattern, the ancient automatons maintained the tower that their long-deceased ancestors had built, sweeping away cobwebs and scraping off mold.

_So that's why this tower is still standing after such a long time,_ Kazumi said.

The clay creatures, which Bree only then remembered were called Goletts from a research paper that Cheren had excitedly read to her and Bianca some time ago (something about how Silph Co. studied these pokemon to develop Porygon; Bree never held the interest that Cheren did in scientific research but he was her friend so she listened anyway) glanced incuriously at the frantic human and battle-ready Samurott, then turned away. The artificial constructs were programmed to maintain the tower for the return of...Something. And that was all they would do, forever.

Until the roars and thrashes of a violent struggle were heard all the way from the top of the tower, still several stories above them. The Goletts froze and looked upwards as one.

Their voices were rusty and dusty from years of disuse. They spoke in an ancient dialect that Bree could barely understand. But what she could comprehend chilled her and set her insides in concrete.

_That struggle...That cry..._

_...He has returned... _

_...The ideals and the truth..._

_The soul, the stone..._

_Our dragon, our emblem..._

_...How long has it been?_

_...The king..._

_The king of Isshu has returned!_

Bree stared in horror as the constructs assembled into formation, saluting at a blank wall. Looking down at Kazumi and Kaylee, who were watching with equally wide eyes, she ran up the stairs shouting, "Go go go!"

* * *

It was up several more floors, past the rickety central pillar of Dragonspiral Tower whose supporting beams Bree carefully traversed that the teenager found several more Team Plasma members waiting for her.

The floor rattled and shook as roaring and thrashing echoed down from above. Something was going wild at the top of the tower, so wild, so close to rampaging, that Bree could barely keep her balance. The Team Plasma members parted to reveal an older man in robes: a sage.

'Sage' (for Bree refused to call them sages; there was something so...phony about it all) Giallo, as Bree would later learn was his name, said, "It is finally time. After so much sacrifice, our lord N will become the hero!"

His eyes narrowed. "And now. I have heard much about you from N, Bree. But anyone who isn't with Team Plasma is an enemy! Now," he gestured to his lackeys, "stop her! For the good of Team Plasma!"

"Nobody can interfere with Unova's new dawn," said one grunt as he sent out a lithe Liepard and a dim-eyed Scrafty.

Kazumi roared, _I will!_ as she sidestepped the pokemon's powerful sweeping tail and responded with two powerful swings of her swords, one right after the other, that laid the Scrafty out flat. A jet of water finished the job, leaving the Scrafty senseless at the base of a pillar. The Samurott let out a roar of triumph that turned into a roar of pain when the Liepard from before leaped onto Kazumi's back and, finding a gap in her helmet, bit down.

The weight and the pain were lifted when Kaylee rammed her entire body into the Liepard, knocking the large cat off her friend and tumbling onto the ground, where the Stoutland next charged. They rolled and wrestled on the ground, skirting dangerously close to the end of the ledge on which they were fighting, clawing and biting every exposed inch of each other. Focused on each other, the Liepard and Stoutland were completely oblivious to their surroundings. Which was why Kaylee didn't notice the two Garbodor surrounding her and her fight, lining up shots of sludge and gunk that would badly hurt her if they hit.

But Bree noticed, which was why she sent out Simon. Gritting his teeth against the force of the impact, the Excadrill masterfully caught both attacks in his paws; the sludge bounced ineffectually off his claws. A little bit of gunk splashed onto the floor and spattered on Kaylee's coat; it would stink later but would not cause any actual harm in battle. Scraping his claws clean, the mole growled as he attacked both Garbodor at once. Their hide tore under his slashes, dribbling a thick foul fluid that flowed onto the ground and putrefied everything with which it came into contact.

And then all hell broke loose as half a dozen Watchog jumped Simon, sinking their large incisors into him. Simon shouted something obscene as he spun like a top, clawing off the Watchog but only managing to dislodge one or two. The rest of the pokemon clung to the Excadrill, biting down, drawing blood (they weren't playing nice anymore), until the noxious smell of burnt hair and seared flesh filled the air and the Watchog let go, whimpering in pain.

The source of the flame came from above as Eve did another sweep of the arena. She held Erik tight in one claw as the Litwick shot barrage after barrage of flames that burst and multiplied upon impact. The conflagration threatened to fill the arena and it was up to Kazumi to keep the fire under control as Erik continued his relentless attacks and Eve frequently dipped down to nimbly attack with her edged tail and three other sets of claws. It was like acrobatics, so dexterous were the Archeops' attacks.

But Liepards could jump, and one member of Team Plasma had a Vullaby. Both dark-type pokemon attacked as one and dug their claws into Eve, dragging her down to the ground as she let out a long cry. Collecting herself, Eve took a deep breath and glared at both her foes. The Archeops erupted in a flurry of beating wings, flailing claws, and stony blows. When both pokemon lay unconscious at her feet, Eve turned to Bree and said, _Look, look, I did it!_

"Great job, Eve!" But Bree's attention was focused on Erik, who was knocked out of Eve's grasp as she fell. Currently the Litwick was facing down a Krokorok and a Scrafty; despite his increasingly desperate fire attacks he was badly outmatched. Erik yelped as the Krokorok bit down on his small waxy body, intelligent enough to bypass the cap on his head and sturdy enough to ignore the searing heat that filled his mouth.

At Bree's shout, Kazumi turned away from her current battle with two Pawniard with skinny bodies, dull yellow eyes, and metallic ribs, who matched her blade for blade, and ran to the other side of the fray to aid Erik. But one Pawniard still clung stubbornly to Kazumi, relentlessly pursing the Samurott even when she shook him off and he tumbled to the tiled floor. And even if Kazumi managed to take out both the Krokorok and Scrafty before Erik was knocked out (something which Bree was fairly confident her pokemon could do), both would be extremely tired and there were still several more pokemon of Team Plasma's to defeat. Not to mention N...

"Looks like I've got no choice," muttered Bree as she reached for her last pokemon. "Playtime, Idoun!"

The two heads of the Zweilous snarled and snapped at each other before they caught the scent of a Darmanitan that another member of Team Plasma sent out to attack Simon, who was busy with Kaylee fending off the two Pawniard. Idoun was not attacking to protect her teammates. In fact, what she said was actually something along the lines of, _Fresh meat!_

The Darmanitan howled as two sets of sharp teeth sunk into him and tore upwards. A firey punch to the roof of one of Idoun's mouths sent that head reeling, but the other head actually bit down on that gigantic hand. Darmanitan went down, and was quickly withdrawn by a Plasma grunt who was refreshingly quick on the uptake. Around her, the fight wound down as Bree's battered pokemon emerged victorious. Without a foe to face anymore, the two heads of the Zweilous turned and snarled at each other. Shouting "Fantastic, Idoun!" while sighing under her breath under their perpetual fighting, Bree returned Idoun and looked up at Giallo.

She wasn't too sure what reaction to expect, but it definitely wasn't having the "sage" go sheet-white as he saw the Zweilous under Bree's command. Giallo visibly gulped as he finally said, "W-Well! We'll let you through for now!"

Withdrawing all her pokemon, Bree sprinted up the stairs before Giallo and the rest of Team Plasma could regret their decision.

She hoped she wouldn't regret this decision either.

* * *

Dust was still clearing on the rooftop where she and her friends were exploring just a few days prior. The moon hung high in the sky, illuminating the stage. It seemed to Bree that several more pillars were smashed now than when she came up before with Cheren and Bianca.

And then she looked up at N and the giant white pokemon on the dais behind him, and her heart plummeted.

Calling the pokemon giant and white were both massive understatements. The creature which both Bree and N gazed at in awe was easily taller than the still-standing columns, and even broader with its wings outstretched. Those wings, with the long flowing gleaming white feathers, had wickedly sharp claws that reminded Bree of Eve's wings and claws. Standing up proud on its rear legs, a rudder-like tuft of feathers jutted out from its torso. Feathers ringed its neck, more feathers streamed from its head, and its conical tail glowed with inner flame. Except for pale, washed-out blue eyes, the entire creature was bleached, gleaming, snowy, alabaster, so far beyond white that it hurt Bree's eyes when contrasted with the inky blackness of the night sky. The full moon was dim compared to the creature. A low rumbling snarl and a bared set of perfect sharp teeth completed the picture.

Bree, already terrified beyond belief, let out a strangled horrified whimper when it clicked. This was the legendary pokemon Reshiram, the legendary dragon of the ancient legends when Unova was known as Isshu. The one that N talked about befriending, to complete his misguided dream.

He had done it.

Made aware of her presence, N turned around. His arms were held out, his eyes were closed, his lips were curved in a faint smile. An utterly rapturous expression played on his face.

"Do you see?" he said. His voice was low, but clear. "I did it. I did what I was born to do, what I was made for. What the others...I did it! I befriended Reshiram! I'm the hero! I'm actually the hero!"

His gray-green eyes snapped open, and the wild-eyed look in them was even scarier than the plan that N was about to play out. For one brief moment-a chink in the armor, a hole in the wall. N was a trapped animal, backed in a corner, desperately searching for a way out, flailing and lashing at anything and everything.

N looked at Bree, at the beautiful, weary girl frozen to the spot. "Do you like it, Bree? This is Reshiram! Who will return for the pure hero. And now Reshiram's back, and the pure hero is me! The pokemon who appears before and fights beside the hero who will lead the way to the new world...Isn't it beautiful?" His hands, those skinny hands with the long frail fingers, balled into fists. "Now, Reshiram and I will head to the pokemon league and defeat the champion! And this is gonna be the last of these battles that hurt my friends."

And now Bree found her voice. "No!" she cried. "N! You can't do this! You know that most people aren't like that! What about me and my pokemon?"

Reshiram rose into the air, and N gave Bree a broken-mirror smile. "A world for pokemon and not meanie people...It's finally going to be a reality."

N hopped onto Reshiram's back, and gazed at Bree from above. Reshiram leaned forward and softly snarled. It suddenly became chillingly, frantically clear to Bree, as the world sharpened into focus around her, that she might not make it down from here alive.

Was the air always this fresh? Were there always such scents carried on the wind? Was she always able to feel the blood rushing through her body? Was she always able to feel her hair on her scalp, her clothes on her back?

N gazed down at her, and his expression softened. "...Ghetsis told me it would be better if I had Reshiram take care of you here," he said candidly. "But I told him no. I don't want to. You're a hero, I know it! And you're gonna be my queen!"

Reshiram growled, and N shook his head. "But we've got to fight to see who's right! I've read the stories; that's how these things are done. So!" He shouted over Reshiram's flapping wings. "If you want to stop me, you've got to be the hero I know you are! You've got to find Zekrom! If you want to keep pokemon and people together, then you've got to find Zekrom and befriend it too!"

Bree stood frozen again as N said, "Find the Dark Stone; I know you can! But please, get to it first," as he sped off. The pure white figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance as Bree remained bound to the roof.

Most people, thinking rationally, would head down the tower and figure out what to do next. Reshiram was flying far too fast for anyone to catch up to.

But Bree was rash even under the best circumstances, which was why she screamed Eve's name as she sent out her Archeops. Even her fear of heights and of not having her feet planted to some surface was set aside as Bree sprinted to the precipice and flung herself off the edge of Dragonspiral Tower.

Just as she knew Eve would do, Bree felt claws snag her jacket as her Archeops caught her. And when those claws slipped, Bree instinctively gripped her pokemon's ankle as Eve's curved claws grasped her wrist.

"Follow N and Reshiram!" Bree shouted, gesturing with her free hand. Her long brown hair and pink handbag streamed out behind her and her legs bicycled in the air as Eve flapped her wings faster, carrying both herself and her trainer through the night sky several hundred feet off the ground.

Bree sucked in another breath, her lungs beginning to complain from the thinning air, and shouted to the sky. "N! N, get back here! You can't do this! Haven't you learned anything?"

But N was still far ahead and above of Bree and Eve, too far away to hear her voice. Bree realized this and told her pokemon to go, "Up, up, Eve! Faster! Come on!"

She saw the little green figure lean over, saw Reshiram's tail begin to glow with an audible whirring hum like a car starting up, and her blue eyes widened as she thought, _Oh crap!_

"Down!" she screamed to Eve. "Down down DOWN!"

The superheated jet of flame emitted from Reshiram's tail as the legendary pokemon put on an extra boost of speed and went into turbo-drive passed over Eve's head. But the heat around it knocked both of them backwards, and pried Bree loose. Eve screamed as Bree flailed in the air, falling to the ground and falling fast.

Her Archeops dove after her, but was too slow. Bree's scream was lost to the air as she plummeted and the ground rushed up under her.

The trees broke her fall, their snow-covered canopies scratching her face and snapping under her weight as she crashed through branch after branch, finally plummeting into a rather large snowbank. The snow puffed up and settled, revealing a Bree-shaped hole in the accumulation.

Bree groaned weakly. Every inch of her ached; sharp pains here and there suggested more serious injuries than simple bruises. Considering that she was having trouble focusing, a concussion was almost certainly involved.

Cheren, Bianca, Leader Brycen, and Professor Juniper arrived almost immediately. Eve flew behind them, apologizing for several minutes straight.

"Bree," Bianca said as she hugged her friend, drawing back as the injured girl whimpered with pain, "Oh thank goodness you're alright! I thought...I thought..."

Cheren's voice was fraught with worry too. "Bree, are you okay? I got a phone call from Bianca that something was going on above and I came down with Brycen. All the members of Team Plasma left too. What happened? Are you okay? I'm going to get a doctor," he said, though Professor Juniper beat him to it by calling an ambulance.

"Bree," said Brycen, "What happened with you and this person called N at the top of the tower?"

Bree sat up, her jacket ruined, her shoulder beginning to throb painfully as the adrenaline rush wore off, looked each of them in the eyes, and said, "Shit just got real."

* * *

A/N: Didja like? I liked it! (And I liked the mental images of that last scene too. Did I describe it well?)

Yes, I know Brycen actually has a Vanillish. But just like the Glaceon, I changed it. Did you like what I did with his character? (And no, they didn't finish the gym battle)

Again, how was N in this chapter?

Oh, how are they going to deal with this one...And Bree's injured now too...

You'll find out in a few days! :D


	28. You Only Became What We Made You

Yeah, this chapter is shorter than the others. It's more fillery too. Sorry. A couple of scenes that just really expanded on their own, because dammit I try to be realistic with injuries!

...I hope you like it. I hope it doesn't suck.

* * *

The hospital hummed with the flickering of fluorescence that cast light everywhere. The stark sterile whiteness, the clinical atmosphere, the complete lack of shadows, even at night, gave this temple of medicine an eerie feel. Standing next to a doctor-Dr. Lanski, according to his nametag-by Bree's bedside as his friend awaited the verdict, with Bianca sitting in a chair picking at a loose thread, Cheren couldn't help but feel apprehensive and ill at ease.

"Do you realize," said the doctor to Bree as he looked over her medical report, "Just how lucky you are?"

The final score of injuries that Bree had collected from falling several hundred feet off of her Archeops? A litany of assorted cuts and bruises, a mild concussion, a badly twisted ankle, two cracked ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. An EMT had realigned her shoulder on the scene before muscle spasms had the chance to set in and the Icirrus hospital was well-known for its orthopedics unit. Bree was incredibly lucky.

But luck could only go so far with more serious injuries, an unpleasant truth that Bree was learning just at that moment.

Dr. Lanski adjusted the sling that would hold Bree's shoulder in place until it healed more. "I want you to stay here overnight," he said. "I need to make sure there are no underlying injuries before I can release you."

Bree groaned, partially out of frustration, partially from the pain that cut through the sedative. "And then can I take off this stupid sling and ankle bandage?"

The doctor shook his head. "Bree, I don't think you understand your injuries. Even with our medical technology, your ankle will take two weeks to heal, your ribs will take a month, and your shoulder will take two months. And it will take longer for everything to return to full function. I don't want you taking off that sling for two weeks, and the bandage until the end of the week. Then I want you to do some physical therapy exercises to return to normal function more quickly."

"What?" Bree sat up on her good arm in the hospital bed in protest. "I can't do that! I need to get going right now!"

"She doesn't have time," said Cheren. "There's an emergency."

"Yeah," Bianca added as she stood up. "There's, like, something really important that she's got to do right now!"

"Well," said the doctor eventually, "There are two experimental treatments, all injections, that would work, but they would cost extra. One is an anti-inflammatory medication followed by a steroidal agent that promotes the repair of connective tissue such as ligaments, which were damaged with the sprain and dislocation. The other one is a sort of artificial bone, like the surgical glue sometimes used. It's derived from the silk in cocoon pokemon like Metapod, and it will provide a mesh framework for your ribs to repair themselves more quickly, as well as cushioning them so you can breathe more easily."

Bree nodded, so vigorously that she looked like a bobblehead doll. "Why didn't you tell me before? Let's do this!"

Of course, when the doctor actually came back with the medicine, Bree's mind registered, _NEEDLES!_ and so immediately went into Panic Mode. And so Cheren and Bianca (since pokemon who didn't work for the hospital weren't allowed out of their pokeballs during treatment) found themselves in the unenviable position of holding down their thrashing friend with one hand, holding her hands for comfort and support with the other, and somehow growing a third hand to untangle the IV cords that she had gotten snarled up in her panic while Dr. Lanski quickly administered the injections.

Whimpering as the needles were withdrawn, Bree burrowed her head into the front of Cheren's jacket. "I'm sorry," she said.

Cheren merely brushed back her hair. "It's okay. No, seriously. We're all stressed right now."

"But N's gotten so much stronger now," Bree protested. "And look at you! You've gotten stronger too. Hector's even evolved while Erik's still a Litwick!" Indeed, Bree had seen Cheren's dragon-type as she was being loaded into the back of the ambulance. The beige Axew had evolved into a muscular Fraxure; his coal-black hide studded with gleaming cobalt markings. The scars from Idoun's attack were barely visible, only discernible in the right light.

And yet Erik remained the same, unevolved, stuck in his basic state. And Idoun was nearly as recalcitrant as when she was first caught. It wasn't that Bree was jealous; it was just that...

...How could she get strong enough to defeat N now? How strong would she have to be, and how quickly could she get that strength?

Something small with three prongs was placed into the palm of her hand. Bree looked down to see Cheren's hand withdrawn, the Freeze Badge where it was a moment ago, resting comfortably in her palm. She glanced up, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Brycen said to give it to you."

"He said you earned it for going after N in the tower," called Bianca from the corridor as she walked back from the bathroom. "And that you're going to need it so he shouldn't waste your time, or something like that."

Digging out the badge case from deep within her bag, Bree slid it into place with her thumb. "Why didn't he give it to me personally?"

"I believe he's on the phone with Champion Alder," Cheren said, staring out the window in the general direction of the gym. "He hasn't gotten off since you arrived." That was at least three hours ago.

And now the doctor was returning with a slip of paper in his hand. "You said that you needed to get out of here more quickly, right?" At Bree's loud agreement, he continued. "There's not much else I can do to help you heal more quickly, but I filled out this prescription for you."

Cheren looked over his friend's shoulder to read the barely-legible script. After several failed attempts (seriously, was illegible handwriting a job requirement or something?), he managed to sound it out.

"Codeine? Why did you prescribe that?"

Then Bree began to feel the previous dose of painkillers begin to wear off and made the reasons for prescribing it very, very clear.

Cheren and Bianca soon left to let their friend rest. However, with one hand resting on the wall by the door, Bianca looked back. Her hair flopped over and her beret was still slightly tilted from the fight as she said, "Bree, please promise me that you won't push yourself too hard. We'll figure out how to stop N, I promise."

But Bree said nothing, didn't even give Bianca a token nod as she stared out the window, at the tower several miles away.

Slowly closing the door, shoes sliding on the tiles, Bianca ran down the bare hall and embraced Cheren, stifling herself into his shirt. A hesitant hand pulled her into a hug.

What else could they do?

* * *

It came down thick, hard and fast. Not just snow, but a bona fide blizzard, raging and howling to the point where Bree could barely see twenty feet in front of her-the rest of the world was lost to the white.

And yet here Bree was, less than twenty-four hours past her fall, back on the pathway up to Dragonspiral Tower. Here she was, in a blizzard so violent that even snowbound Icirrus canceled school for the day, training herself and her pokemon.

Her ankle had screamed in pain the first several halting, limping steps out of the hospital, but the codeine soon took care of that. And now the snow which sucked her in several inches deep numbed the sprain further. It didn't hurt to walk; all she felt was a dull ache.

She had to get stronger. She had to get stronger, and so did they. N had Reshiram. N was going to win. N was going to take over Unova and force everyone to release their pokemon and she'd never see Kazumi or Kaylee or Simon or Eve or Erik or Idoun again, and her friends would never see their pokemon again either. And did N even know what he was doing? Was he even sure anymore?

That look in his eyes...That frantic, wild-eyed, _My god, what have I done?_ look; thinking about it, Bree realized it was the look of someone who had backed himself into a corner and had just realized he had left himself with only one option. It wasn't a look she was going to forget any time soon.

Combined with the command...No, the _plea..._Bree was becoming more and more convinced that N truly had no idea what he was doing. That someone else was busy pulling the strings.

Bree had an inkling of whom it could be, but she wasn't focused enough at the moment to think about it. Because no matter who the real head of Team Plasma was, it was N who had Reshiram, and it was N she had to beat. No matter how much it might hurt.

So there she was, in the blinding snow, training (grinding) Erik and Eve until her Archeops would burst in and out of snowy mounds without losing speed, and Erik evolved into a Lampent. The moment of evolution was played out before her, in the form of a melted ring of snow, and the scattered shards of his radiation cap that broke upon his change. But the Lampent no longer needed an artificial shield, for he had grown his own.

And yet, even as hail began to pelt down, in large enough chunks to send Eve diving for cover and back into her pokeball, Bree continued to train.

Shielding himself against the howling snow and pounding hail, Erik tugged on the hem of Bree's jeans. _Bree, what are you doing? Please, it's not safe for you to be here in your condition._

What Bree was doing was training with Kazumi. Training herself with Kazumi. As in borrowing one of the shell blades and fighting her Samurott with it, blade against blade. Listing to one side, compensating for the weight shifted off her injured ankle and the heavy blade gripped in one hand tracing a line in the snow, Bree beckoned with the hand wrapped in the sling, involuntarily wincing at the movement. "Shut up, Erik. I'm fine. We've...got to be...stronger. Come on, Kazumi!"

But the Samurott shook her head, shaking off build-up snow and ice from the movement. _No, Bree. I won't spar with you in this state._

"No," the teenager protested, utterly refusing to take no for an answer. She wiped off the sweat that beaded on her brow despite the bitter cold and continued to stubbornly train. Hefting up the large blade with her good hand, staggering back a few steps, Bree righted herself and, swaying erratically, approached Kazumi. The sword swung wildly, without any form or direction.

With an imperceptible twitch of her muscles, Kazumi effortlessly blocked the erratic swing. Grabbing the dangling sword, she plucked the blade out of Bree's hand and sheathed it. Kazumi dropped to all fours and looked her hunched-over trainer in the eye, red meeting blue.

_Bree,_ Kazumi said in a level tone, a slight curling of her upper lip the only sign of her shortening patience, _You need to go back to the hospital. You're shivering. You seem very pale. Your lips are blue. You can't train like this. You can't defeat N if you kill yourself!_

"...'m okay," Bree mumbled through numb lips and paralyzed mouth, her eyes half-closed. She swayed on the spot. "...Not even cold..."

And it was true. Bree wasn't feeling cold anymore; if she thought about it, she would have realized that she stopped feeling cold a while ago. The bitter slicing winds, the damp chill that soaked through her jacket and clung to her bones, Bree no longer felt any of that. Even the sprain, the healing dislocation, the cracked ribs, Bree barely felt those injuries any longer.

Instead, she felt numb. Nice and tingly and a pleasant numb all over. She closed her eyes. It felt so nice and cozy here in the snow. All she wanted to do was curl up and fall asleep in this blanket of white.

A soft sigh escaped those frostbitten lips as Bree toppled over, falling unconscious into the snow.

Kazumi and Erik immediately ran over to her; the Samurott tried to nuzzle her trainer back into consciousness while the Lampent cradled her, holding his trainer close to his heat. It was when they placed their limp trainer onto Kazumi's back that the two pokemon realized-truly realized-just how small and frail and weaker than they she was. How easily and effortlessly they could leave her to freeze, or finish the job themselves.

Warming her with his inner flame, Erik shielded Bree from the cold as Kazumi walked them both back to the hospital. And when the movement jostled the pokeballs strapped to her belt and Kaylee popped out, the Stoutland shared her thick warm coat with Bree without even thinking about it.

* * *

Wherever she was lying, it was warm and soft. It hurt to move. It hurt to breathe.

Those were the first three thoughts to enter Bree's mind as she slowly regained consciousness. Cracking open her heavy eyes, she looked up into a white plaster ceiling, with a row of flickering fluorescent lights casting their pale glow all over the room. Which was also white. She was back in the hospital.

Raising her head and coughing violently (it hurt so much to breathe), Bree looked around at the figures by her bedside.

"Bree," cried Bianca, "Thank goodness you're awake! Your pokemon dragged you in; why did you do that?"

Cheren shook his head in disbelief. "Even for you, that was unbelievably foolish. Why you thought running yourself ragged in a blizzard after being severely injuried was a good idea is beyond me."

_You're okay!_ said Kazumi, her muzzle resting on the bed by Bree's side. She lifted her free hand and scratched her Samurott just behind her ears. _I got you here as fast as I could, but you were so cold..._

Dr. Lanski's head was buried in his hand and for a while he refused to speak. "What," he finally said, "Were you thinking?"

Bree pursed her lips and thought about it. It was incredibly hard to think; she had a pounding headache that felt as if someone had placed her head in a vice and was slowly tightening it. "...I don't know," she finally said. "I needed to train, and train fast."

"Well," said the doctor, "You're not going to be training for the rest of the month because not only did you further injure your ankle, but now you also have pneumonia."

A short pause hung in the room, broken only by the beeping of the heart monitor connected to Bree. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the headboard. "Fuck."

At this point, as the doctor left, both Leader Brycen and Champion Alder entered the hospital room, their faces worried with concern. Alder spoke first.

"Brycen told me what happened," he said. Even through her feverish haze, Bree couldn't help but notice how much more stiff and strained the champion's voice was than before. "I don't know why N is so adamant about having you find Zekrom. To have both legendaries fight again...Last time, according to legend, they completely destroyed ancient Unova!"

Bianca's head snapped towards him. "What? But isn't that, like, really dangerous? Doesn't N want to protect pokemon?"

"Exactly," said Brycen, "Which is what leads me to believe that N does not fully understand what he is doing." He drummed his fingers on the nightstand next to the hospital bed. "Still, I don't think we have any other choice but to press forward here. Reshiram is...Extremely powerful. I know I wouldn't stand a chance."

"I might," said Alder, "But...It would be best to have Bree search for the Dark Stone."

"Why are you talking about me as if I'm not here?" she mumbled, drawing herself back into the land of the awake. "I said I'd do it. Remember how I got myself into this situation?"

"By being even more rash and stupid than usual," said Cheren in a serious yet not unkind tone.

Alder stood up straighter. "I've traveled all over Unova, so I have an idea where it might be. The Relic Castle by Route Four is as old as Dragonspiral Tower. The Dark Stone might be there."

Bianca pounded Bree's back; her friend had gone into another violent coughing fit. "But Bree's sick right now. There's no way she can travel to Relic Castle. And what if, like, Team Plasma gets there first?"

None of the teenagers were expecting Brycen to smile and Alder to laugh. "That's the first problem we had to take care of," said Alder. "And I think you're going to love my idea."

He leaned in close, as if sharing a secret to close friends. Which, in a way, he was. "There are so many caverns and tunnels in Twist Mountain," he said, "And Clay said that some of those tunnels were probably created around the time that Dragonspiral Tower and the Relic Castle were built." Alder smiled, waiting for everyone to get it.

Cheren was the first, and the grinning smirk that spread across his face would make a Gengar jealous. "Twist Mountain as a decoy hiding spot to distract Team Plasma while Bree recovers. I _like_ it."

"Exactly. Clay's going to set up the decoy first thing tomorrow. Team Plasma may not fall for it forever, but they should long enough for Bree to get better."

"Which I'm going to do as fast as possible," Bree said, sitting up straighter even though her muscles weighed her down like bricks. "And my pokemon and I will be unstoppable, and we'll show N what he refuses to admit!"

Kazumi rumbled in agreement. _You can count on me._

* * *

Curled up in a little ball, his white shirt pulled down over his scrunched-up knees, N was nearly invisible as he cried into Reshiram's sleek shining fur.

Ghetsis rolled his eyes and gagged silently. The scene was disgusting. It made him sick.

"I didn't mean for her to get hurt," N whimpered. The white dragon's fur tickled his lips as he spoke. It tingled in an odd but good way.

It made N think of Bree, and that...kiss(?)...back in Nimbasa. And now he felt that strange fluttery churning, painful-but-pleasant feeling in his gut again.

But it hurt even more to think about Bree, especially after...What he...

"She's not dead," said Zero. "Merely injured. She will recover."

A smirk and scoff from Ghetsis. "But not in time to recover the Dark Stone, right? Even if we can't summon Zekrom..."

N shouted, "No!" Five sets of eyes-three yellow, one red, and one blue-turned to the boy king. The designated hero found the ground crumble under him, but somehow summoned the strength to continue (just how Bree must have felt chasing after him). "She's the hero, F-Ghetsis. She has to get Zekrom! That's how it's got to be! And then, and then I'll defeat her. I'll win, because she's the other hero and I...I'm the real hero, right? Of course I am, I'm the real hero! And, and then I'll win, and she'll know I'm right, and she'll set her pokemon free and they'll...be happy. And then she'll know I'm right and she'll say I'm the king and she'll be my queen!"

His eyes were screwed shut, his hands were curled tightly into themselves as the words tumbled out. Ghetsis didn't notice his hesitation there, did he?

The sage's scouter flashed, but he said nothing. It was Bronius who entered the room and broke the silence by saying, "Sage Ghetsis! I got a report saying that some odd cavern has been found deep in Twist Mountain!"

The smile on Ghetsis' face was the kind that approaches very fast and has a fin on top. "Perfect," he said. "Shadow Triad? Let's go. N, quit your whining and come too. It's not kingly."

N stifled a sob and stood up. Not kingly? He couldn't be that. He was the king, that's what he was raised for his whole life. The king of Team Plasma, the friend and liberator of enslaved pokemon everywhere (Kazumi didn't seem enslaved. Neither did Kaylee, or Simon, or Eve, or Erik), the hero whom Reshiram had chosen.

He had felt trapped up there, trapped while Reshiram breathed behind him and the wind swept back his wild green hair and menger sponge dangling off his belt. Trapped in a corner of a maze that he had put himself with, while searching for the truth, and now he had found...something...and had to put it back because _no way_ could it be true.

It wasn't true. It wasn't, it couldn't be! He was N Harmonia, the hero who was born for this, the prince who was crowned on his birthday! (He could remember only bits and pieces of the ceremony.) His (imaginary (according to Ghetsis)) people friends were somewhere too, cheering him on. So what if so few people were cruel to their pokemon on the Outside? So what if most pokemon liked being with their trainers? So what if people found other ways to help his hurt friends and punish the meanies without liberating all the others? He pushed the evil parts of him, now growing and threatening to take him over, now begging and pleading not to do this, somewhere far away.

He would show them! He would show Bree! He was the hero! He was right, right, RIGHT!

He would win!

* * *

A/N: OH MY GOD, BREE YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT!

Seriously, I can't believe how impulsive she was here! Aarrgh! Her injuries were pretty serious (a dislocated shoulder takes about 3-4 months to fully recover, and even in the pokemon world it wouldn't be all better immediately), and yet she trains in a blizzard? I really need to smack her.

So yeah. Now Bree's not only got the sprain, dislocation, and two minor fractures from before, but now she's also got pneumonia to boot. And she already has asthma! Don't worry, she won't die from it. But Bree's basically out of commission for the rest of the month, in-story time. Which means that she won't be able to battle until January (it's December in the story), and she won't be 100% until February.

She doesn't have that much time. Granted, Alder's little plan (didja like?) granted them a few more days of it, but...Oh, Bree...

And N! What do you think of him there? Please tell me you liked.


	29. Don't Underestimate The Things I Will Do

Aww yeah, new chapter time! And this time, plot happens! Can you tell that I'm getting so excited? We're in the endgame here, folks, and if you think shit hasn't gotten real yet...

As always, please read, review, and enjoy! (Aww, we were so close to 400 reviews before this chapter...)

* * *

The only thing that made physical therapy tolerable was that she was actually able to train with her pokemon there. Bree had left most of her pokemon with Cheren and Bianca so her friends could train them while she recovered (something which her pokemon had readily agreed to), but Kazumi and Idoun remained with her-they would join the rest of the team later.

If Bree had said she wasn't nervous when she sent out Idoun to talk to the bad-tempered Zweilous while still bedridden and recovering from pneumonia (thank every deity out there that it was a mild case), she would have been lying. Kazumi watched Idoun edgily, ready to defend her trainer if the violent dragon decided to pounce while she was weak.

But Idoun didn't attack-at least, not a serious, all-out attack. Instead, she grudgingly agreed to train with Kazumi. Bree was stunned, at least until she sat for a while (as if she had anything else to do while recovering-daytime television was simply awful) thought about it. She had done something incredibly stupid and foolish. Just as Idoun had done with the Cubchoo and Beartic. And while Idoun thought Bree would give up, she still kept going.

Idoun was impressed. Bree felt a little swelling of pride when she realized that, and it was just one more thing to add to more-than-enough motivation for her to keep going.

And then there was her mom. That was awkward, to put it mildly. Bree didn't like the idea of being forced into the "chosen one to save the world!" situation, which sucked a lot more in real life than in the stories, any more than her mom did, but she accepted it. Mom didn't have to throw a shit fit and threaten to drag her home and let someone else got Zekrom (who? Cheren? Bianca? Alder? The gym leaders? Lawrence?) or N won and all their pokemon would be taken away.

It was a very long conversation which everyone got involved in, the details of which Bree couldn't quite remember because the medicine made her sleepy. What she did remember were curt conversations, warm supportive arms embracing her, her mother's voice. She remembered short phrases that cut through the haze, little out-of-context clips like. "I never wanted," or, "Promise me that," or, "...I guess we don't have a choice."

Bree really didn't understand it. Obviously nobody wanted to be in her situation, and of course she'd be upset for her only daughter (and it wasn't like she could have another), but for her mom to flip out and seem so...scared...It was completely unlike her.

Meanwhile, Team Plasma seemed to have taken the bait, devoting all their resources to scouring Twist Mountain while leaving the Relic Castle alone. For the time being, anyway.

Anyway. These were the thoughts that ran through Bree's mind and kept her distracted as she did yet another assortment of tests to test how much her lungs had recovered, or the exercises to help her ankle and shoulder return to normal.

At least she got to spar with Kazumi. The Samurott had lent one of her blades this time, and Bree found their practice-slash-physical therapy grueling but rewarding, much like her entire journey. She could feel her endurance increasing, her stance and movements improving with each practice under Kazumi's patient guidance. Was this how her pokemon felt when they trained? Bree couldn't get enough of it. She even suggested, in yet another moment of incredible rashness and stupidity, trying to spar Idoun for a few minutes. But it was so odd. After Kazumi loudly dissuaded her of the idea, the Zweilous stared at her trainer, both jaws hanging open in silence. If this was the beginning of respect, and the beginning of Idoun's turnaround, Bree would gladly take it.

Though she had to admit it was a stupid idea to begin with, trying to use Idoun as a sparring partner. She'd never be good with Kazumi's swords, but at least now she wouldn't cut herself trying to wield them.

Three weeks later, when the doctor said that she was well enough to travel, Bree marched out of the hospital to cheers and applause.

Bianca looked as if she was about to start tossing confetti everywhere. "Alright! Go Bree!"

"Glad to see you're recovered," said Cheren. "I must say that your pokemon were wonderful to train with. I apologize for not training Idoun though."

"That's okay," Bree said, laughing. "I wasn't expecting you to anyway."

Kaylee ran up to her trainer, placing her paws on her legs and barking happily. _Bree! Yay! You're all better! I got to play with River!_

_Cheren is very determined,_ said Simon. _Training with him was grueling. But definitely worth it. He expects nothing but the best. _

_I'm glad to see you better. Are you ready?_ asked Erik.

Bree smiled as she tried but failed to hug her friends-both human and pokemon-at once. Still, she couldn't help but find the situation strangely amusing. "Come on, guys. They let me leave the hospital last week! I just needed to come back to make myself strong again!" That was one of the worst weeks she could remember, with the timeline bearing down on her and the consequences of her failure staring her in the face, but after nearly dying twice in as many days she had to be careful.

"Yes, but now that you're strong enough to travel, we can get going," said Alder as he released his prized Volcarona. Motioning for the teenagers' Xtranceivers, he entered his number into each of them. As he returned them, the Unova Champion said, "Keep these on the entire time and follow me. We're going to land outside Route Four and walk the rest of the way. Lenora said that she and her team removed anything interesting from the upper levels of the Relic Castle; she's going to check the exhibits and storage again while we check out the lower levels." Swinging himself into his Volcarona's saddle, he offered up a hand to help Bree get in as well. "Are you ready?"

Cheren's mouth was set in a thin line and Bianca's face was uncharacteristically grim as Cheren helped her onto his Unfezant's back, strapping her into Joralemon's saddle and offering her his scarf to help protect against the cold, even though the young man despised low temperatures.

Silvery powder dusted Bree's legs where they rubbed against the Volcarona's vermilion scales. Solon, as the large beautiful pokemon was called, trilled as Alder secured both their straps.

"We're ready to go, Solon," he said. The Volcarona silently took off while two sets of beating wings-Eve and Joralemon's-sounded behind them. Bree didn't need to look behind her to know that Bianca was holding on to Cheren more tightly than was necessary. Seriously, when would they open their eyes and get together?

That thought was lost to the task at hand when the wind began to blow past her cheeks and Twist Mountain flew past below her. Thankfully Alder knew (and more importantly, understood) how frail her lungs were at the moment, and so kept as low as possible. Eve kept close, excitedly chattering about all the different things she could see until she got tired and asked to go back inside her "carry-den" and rest while Cheren and Bianca flew above and not far behind as wind changed to light snow and the lights of Nimbasa glowed before them before turning into the sands of Route Four.

* * *

The air was cold but the sun was hot on her back, creating an interesting contradiction of temperature that Bree couldn't get enough of. Tying a cloth around her nose and mouth, tilting down the brim of her cap, she waited in the sandstorm for her friends.

Waves of sand parted their arms, allowing Cheren and Bianca to pass through.

"Snow on sand looks really weird," said Bianca as she dusted off her ever-present beret.

Cheren resisted the urge to facepalm. "Honestly, that's what you consider most important to say?"

"What? It's true." Bianca glanced past the odd statues lining the entrance to the opening within. "So the Dark Stone is down there?"

"It's likely," said Alder. He looked over the three teenagers. "I know saying this is just asking for trouble, but it might actually be best that we split up this time. We've each got six powerful pokemon to aid us, we'll be in constant contact with each other, and right now time is of the essence."

Bree nodded. "Got it. I've been here before with Lawrence." She didn't mention about how that time the two of them fell into a sinkhole and she suffered a panic attack.

But Bianca shook her head and stepped closer to Cheren. "Nuh-uh. I know how these things go, and I'm not going in there by myself." Cheren shrugged with a wry smile and an unmistakable look of _Eh, what can I do?_ and so entered the ruins with Bianca by his side.

With Kaylee, Simon, and Eve-the three who could best tolerate the sands-ready for whatever would come in their way, Bree pushed down the welling fears and (carefully, for her ankle still twinged when she put too much weight on it) entered the Relic Castle for the second (and hopefully the last) time. She heard Alder enter not far behind her, the soft glow reflecting on the walks indication that Solon was guiding him.

Bree walked deeper, acknowledging her friends and Alder with another nod before climbing down one of three tunnels into another set of subterranean chambers. Just as before, dark shadows swooped low before Erik appeared to banish them. After thinking it over, she also released Kazumi and Idoun. Even if Idoun was still more of a liability than an asset, Bree realized that she would need all the help she could get in case she ran into Team Plasma or fell into a sinkhole again.

If Idoun could see, she would have eyed Bree curiously. _I smell fear_, she finally said. _Why are you here when it makes you feel fear?_

Sidestepping a sagging section of ancient tile with unidentifiable carvings, Bree said, "Last time I was here I fell into a sinkhole. I don't like small cramped spaces." Idoun silently agreed; small spaces were the worst. Pushed together like that, both heads would fight even more than usual (they hadn't been fighting as much as usual lately...) and would eventually emerge with bruises and cuts all over each others' necks. Idoun would never go into a small space if she-they could help it, and she-they would never fight an ice-type, let alone a Beartic, ever again. So why was Bree doing something she hated and feared?

"Because," she answered as if Idoun had voiced the thought that bounced through both heads, "This is something I've got to do. Doesn't matter if I'm scared; I've got to do this. No try, just do. I'm not being forced. Well, I got stuck into this but I'm not throwing up my hands and walking away and leaving someone else to pick up the mess. This I choose to do."

She repeated that mantra as if it was a lifeline as she walked deeper and deeper into the ruins of the ancient city. Bree kept her eyes planted on the ground, searching for any weaknesses in the ground, until she bumped into another figure standing there.

"I'm sorry," she began automatically, then stopped as she looked up and realized just who she bumped into. Cropped graying hair that was still a bluish-green at the roots. Overly decorated robes that might have been good at insulation outside, but in here merely trapped sand.

A "sage" of Team Plasma, Bree thought wildly as she stepped back, all over her pokemon collecting around her and shifting into various battle stances. What were they doing there? What about Alder's decoy? This should have been easy!

"That was smart," said the sage, whose name she would later learn was Ryoku. "We only figured out the true location of the Dark Stone yesterday." He tilted his head upward in what was ultimately a failed attempt to make himself look superior to the trainer before him; instead, he just looked old. "Ghetsis told us that, once again, we should see how much power you have. So, let us see just what you can do!"

Predictably, he then vanished. Bree looked at her pokemon in silence. What kind of sick bait-and-chase game was Ghetsis playing at? And they had gotten here first, and it was all her fault because she had to go and try to kill herself training...

Bree slammed the Xtransceiver open and pounded in Cheren's number as quickly as she could. His face, with the sleek black hair strewn every which way instead of neatly combed and gelled like usual, barely even loaded onto the screen when Bree shouted, "Cheren, Team Plasma is here!"

Sounds of battle played out in the background as Cheren said in a half-sarcastic, half-resigned voice, "Thanks, Bree. That would have been extremely helpful say, oh, about ten minutes ago."

"Cheren, I'm sorry, I-"

"It's okay, really. Marina, scald them!" he called out over his shoulder.

"Cheren, do you need me to come over there?"

Bree's question was answered by several shouts, a loud _smack!_ and the following commotion that played out in the background:

"Did that Mienfoo just evolve?"

"Forget evolving, did it just jump-kick your Krookodile in the face?"

"I think it did!"

"Run for your lives!"

As Bianca praised Jiang, Cheren gave Bree an flat look that could only be matched by the utterly deadpan way that he said, "I think we'll be fine."

Bree nodded and said, "Thanks," as she turned off the device. Motioning for her pokemon to follow, returning some of them to make for easier traveling (but keeping their pokeballs right by twitchy fingers), she ventured deeper into the ruins. And when sand stopped her advance, Simon and Kaylee deliberately dug deep, opening the way to another cavern.

Where half a dozen members of Team Plasma waited for her. Upon catching sight of the girl that was the source of so many of their troubles, the grunts didn't even wait before releasing a menagerie of pokemon.

Four pokemon, three of which were at least partially dark-type, surrounded Bree. Team Plasma couldn't send out any more; the cavern was cramped enough as it was. A grim smile on her face (though it couldn't be seen under the cloth), Bree sent out Kazumi, Simon, and Eve to start.

Maybe she was getting arrogant, but she didn't think that this would be any trouble at all.

* * *

Just as Bree thought, it was easy. They barely put up a challenge and were more a waste of time than anything else.

She came to an abrupt stop then as it hit her, sand trickling down from above onto the brim of her cap and spilling onto her boots as she she stood stock still. Of course. They weren't actually meant to defeat her, not anymore. The only use that the rank-and-file of Team Plasma had now when it came to her was to slow her down. Slow her down while Ghetsis and the "sages" and N finished whatever they came to do unimpeded by her presence.

...And there! Impressions from footsteps made recently, left in the sand and dust on the stairs leading down. Withdrawing her pokemon, Bree raced down the stairs even as her ankle and lungs grumbled in complaint.

This final room was big. Very big. Walls and ledges-all that remained jutting out of the sand-indicated that this was likely a theater or garden, once upon a time and very long ago.

As Cheren and Bianca ran down the stairs behind her, apologizing for the delay, Bree saw two figures off at the far end of the cavern. One had red hair, the other had green. Alder and Ghetsis.

"You three," Alder said. "Come over here." Slowly, the three approached, scanning the room for any signs of the Shadow Triad. There were none. And in this blank expanse, where could they hide?

Ghetsis' smile was genial, as was his entire demeanor, but Bree _knew_ that his underlying thoughts were anything but. "So I hear you're trying to resurrect Zekrom, the other legendary Dragon." Looking at Bree, his smile widened a bit.

Some smiles show emotion. Others just show teeth. "It is good to see you better, Bree," he said as her insides twisted with revulsion. A similar look was on Cheren and Bianca's faces as they took protective steps towards their friend. Ghetsis pretended not to notice as he continued. "My lord N was so worried about your state. He had not been so emotionally distraught in years. It seems he has grown to care for the one whom he shall face in battle."

For some reason, Bree felt just a little bit pleased and proud of herself at this. And she didn't know why. Nor did she much care to figure it out right now.

"Quit it," said Cheren. "Where's that Dark Stone?"

Ghetsis shot a dirty look at Cheren as he said, "You shouldn't interrupt like that. It's quite unseemly. But to answer your question, I don't have it. It's not here."

"You're lying!" Cheren opened his mouth to say more but was silenced with three pointed glances from his friends and Alder.

Ghetsis merely shrugged. "If I had the stone in my possession, do you really think that I would stay here? No, I came here to congratulate you." He looked at Bree and smiled again, his single red eye and equally crimson scouter flashing in a way that reminded Bree of Cheren when her friend dipped his head or tilted it up and the light bounced off the lenses of his red-rimmed glasses, completely obscuring his navy blue eyes. The effect was always creepy, as if the person beneath was an automaton or soulless monster rather than a human being of flesh and blood and emotion, but unlike with Cheren, Bree got the sense that Ghetsis did it completely intentionally.

He repeated himself. "As I said, it appears that congratulations are in order! Bree, you were chosen by our king. If you truly wish to keep the world the way it is, then you must befriend Zekrom and defeat our king in battle. Otherwise, Team Plasma shall liberate and release every pokemon in the world!"

Alder regarded Ghetsis coolly, and Bree's already great respect for him went up several dozen notches. "Release pokemon?" he said. "Do the pokemon who live with their trainers actually want that? It sounds like all you're doing is just stealing pokemon from people, like Team Rocket and Team Galactic did, only with a nice little excuse taped over it."

"Yeah," Bianca chimed in. "Like in Castelia, with me and Munny..." She broke off with a whimper.

But Ghetsis ignored Bianca, instead focusing entirely on Alder. "Oh," he said, "What's this? Champion Alder, it's been so long. Even though illness took your partner of many years," -Bree couldn't help but noticed the sudden pained expression on Alder's face- "and you haven't had a serious battle in all that time, even though you left the Elite Four, designated Marshal as the temporary champion, and dragged Drayden from his post as Opelucid gym leader to take his spot, even a Champion like you now wants to protect a world that keeps pokemon bound?" He scoffed. "To think I once served under you! Team Plasma's king will show that he is better. He does not shirk his responsibilities! And he has the legendary Reshiram by his side, just like the one who founded this land!"

Gritting his teeth, Alder stepped forward. "I'll admit that in my grief I ran away from my responsibilities, but no more! I won't lose! I'll fight for all the trainers who love their pokemon, and all the pokemon who believe in their trainers!"

"Our king has no interest in you," Ghetsis said flatly. "He already knows that victory against you is assured."

"Then why did you stay here? To make a fool out of me?"

Ghetsis shrugged. "No, I did this out of kindness. Even now, I'd rather not see my old colleague get hurt. Granted, the moment where someone loses all hope..." A smile, a genuine one of dreamy contentment stretched out one corner of Ghetsis' mouth while his shoulders shook in silent mirth. It was obvious what he thought but did not say: _I really do love to watch that moment._

Bree just blinked. "...Are you saying you get off on watching people lose all hope? Because that's just fucked up." The air was getting thicker around her, denser and harder to breathe, thickening with sand and a steadily worsening general malaise, a numbing disquieting fear that was slowly creeping its way upwards. Was she the only one who could sense this?

Ghetsis' hand "accidentally" slipped inside his robe, releasing his Hydreigon.

All four people stopped dead at the beast's roaring appearance, but only Bree felt the piercing hand of ice-cold terror grip and claw into her mind and heart.

The Hydreigon roared, its fetid breath assailing Bree's already frail lungs, its foul eyes with nothing but murder deep in their blackness. Saliva coated its three sets of sharp jaws, dribbled down its three chins to pool on the ground. Six tar-feathered eldritch appendages kept it afloat and strips of meat, cartilage, and tendon clung to its serrated teeth. Deep bite scars and long scratches ravaged the left side of its central, largest head, not only nearly blinding the dragon but also leaving it grizzled and looking even more brutal, if that was even possible.

The creature thrashed and roared, barely restrained, and Bree remembered what the Audino back in Mistralton said about Hydreigons and their violent nature. She couldn't understand the pokemon before her, but she didn't need to. The only thing in its mind and heart was the desire to rend, maim, kill. To utterly destroy everything before it, to rip its three heads into anything before it until they were soaked with blood and that target had long since stopped moving.

"Oops," said Ghetsis. But there was a tone of glee in his voice, and he made no real effort to return the Hydreigon to its pokeball.

At the sight of this dragon, Bree tried to run but found herself rooted to the spot. That icy claw squeezed her lungs tight; it was like breathing through a straw. Shaking in raw, unadulterated terror, her vision closing in around her, her mind turning fuzzy, all sound turning to rushing roaring, the last thing Bree saw before she went down, down, down, were four sets of human eyes upon her.

Three were filled with panicked concern. The fourth was filled with a wicked gleeful triumph.

* * *

"-Cheren, calm down! You're scary!"

"-Did it on purpose; I know it! I...I won't forgive them for this!"

"Wait, she's coming out of it."

The world blurred back into focus, the ground becoming more steady, more real under her feet. The sense of vertigo slowly lifted as she leaned against a cold stone wall, Cheren and Bianca supporting her while Alder looked on. The sand blew and shifted under her. They were back outside.

"Bree! Are you okay?"

Shaking her head, the last traces of blurriness dislodged themselves from her head. She could remember what happened down there, perfectly preserved behind glass. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Bianca's eyes were wide as she asked, "What was that thing? It was terrifying! And you freaked out the moment you saw it, way more than any of us did!"

"I..." She still had a bit of a headache. "I don't know why..."

There was a reason there, she knew. Somewhere deep down, a reason that connected all the incongruities, all the strangeness regarding her. She knew it was there, or some part of her knew, but...

Either she wasn't going to look, or she didn't know where, or she was afraid to.

"So his Zweilous evolved," said Alder darkly. "Even back in the Elite Four, everyone feared it. I've got to admit, I've never seen such a nasty piece of work before or since." He shook his head. "To serve someone he calls a king, it's so unlike him...But this king, N. What does he want? Why does he want you to summon Zekrom and fight him? Is he just trying to prove he's right? Does he even want to be?"

Alder's train of thought was derailed by the noisy ringing of Bree's Xtransceiver. Opening it, Bree was blasted by Juniper's voice, so loud that behind the trainer two Sandiles jumped and burrowed back under the sand.

"Bree! Bree! Are you there? You're there? Good. Good! Come to Nacrene and the museum now! Right now, you hear me? Okay, bye!" And with that, Professor Juniper clicked off before Bree even had a chance to respond.

Almost immediately, Alder called out Solon. "I'm going!" Behind him, Cheren moved to do the same thing.

Once they got out of the sandstorm, traveling to Nacrene was easy. Alder and Bree ran to the museum, Cheren and Bianca not far behind them. Both Junipers and Lenora were already outside on the grand steps, waiting for them. It was a testament to what city-dwellers were accustomed to that nobody took notice of the two professors, local gym leader, regional champion, and three haggard-looking teenagers crowded around each other.

Despite how eager her voice sounded on the phone, Juniper seemed uncharacteristically serious. "I can't believe what you got involved with," she said.

Lenora presented something small wrapped in tissue paper. "Is this it?"

Eagerly, Bree tore open the package. And then stopped. It had been months since she last saw it, and that had only been for a moment, but it was unmistakeably the small black intricately carved stone that Lenora had showed her before their gym battle. It seemed like centuries ago. Bree closed her hand over the stone. Then dropped it.

"Ow!" she shouted, blowing on her hand and placing the palm up to her mouth.

"Bree, you okay?"

"Yeah, I just...Ow. Wasn't expecting that." Last time she touched the stone, it merely tingled under her touch. This time, there was a definite electric shock, like the bolts that crackled around Eric when he had been particularly upset. Taking a deep breath, gritting her teeth, she picked up the stone and squeezed it. After a few seconds, the shocks had reduced in intensity, back to light static under her grasp and claim. While unpleasant (her hand and arm hurt; she could already feel her hair rising up from static cling), it was nothing she hadn't dealt with before.

"I did some tests, and this dates back to the same era as the Relic Castle and Dragonspiral Tower," said Cedric.

Bree nodded as she rewrapped the object and placed it deep within her bag. In her mind, there was no doubt. This was the Dark Stone.

Bianca spoke first. "Wow, we're lucky. What if, like, Team Plasma had taken this instead of the skull that time?"

"You're right," said Lenora, "It's obvious that they tried to steal that fossil so they could revive Zekrom."

"Yeah, well, Team Plasma hasn't exactly struck me as well-endowed in the intelligence department," muttered Cheren.

"Wait," said Alder. "Bree, if you take this stone, that means that you're going to be the one to battle N if anything happens to me. Are you okay with that?"

Bree didn't hesitate. "Yes. This I choose to do."

"Then if things don't go according to plan, you'll use this Dark Stone."

"Yes."

"Wait," said Cedric. "How do we wake up Zekrom from this?"

...Well, _there_ was a definite snag. "...Uh..."

Lenora snapped her fingers. "That's it! We've got those two, right?"

Alder grinned; he knew exactly where the Nacrene gym leader was headed. "Exactly." For the sake of explanation, he added, "The gym leaders of Opelucid, Iris and Drayden!"

"That's right," said Cheren. "I can't believe I forgot; they specialize in dragon-types. Since these legends are dragon types..."

"They'll know something," said Lenora.

"And," added Alder, "They'll know more about that Hydreigon."

Bree titled her head. "Why that?"

Alder shook his head. "Even though I'm the champion, the only type that I find myself especially knowledgeable with is the bug type. The only champion who has a masterful knowledge with dragon types is Lance, and he's in Kanto. But I do know-or at least, I heard-that there are two ways a Zweilous can evolve: a good way and a bad way. I don't think Ghetsis' Zweilous evolved the good way. Iris and Drayden are experts in dragon types, and they should be able to answer any questions. Otherwise, you'd have to fly to Blackthorn in Johto, and we don't have time for that now."

"Right," said Bree. "To Opelucid." The large city was several miles north of them; it was well-known for its wealth and culture. She turned to her perfectionist of a best friend and grinned. "Hey, Cheren. I've seen pictures and stuff on Opelucid; it should be right up your alley."

* * *

A/N: You'll see what I'm gonna do with Opelucid next chapter! And now that we're back in the New York side of Unova, more shout-outs and descriptions on the way!

Yes, I skipped the Team Plasma battle. Honestly, at this point they were nothing more than a distraction and a time sink while Ghetsis did his dirty work. We've still got two rival battles, one gym leader battle, the Elite Four, N, and Ghetsis.

Speaking of Ghetsis...THAT DAMNED HYDREIGON. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT. YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR BREE VERSUS GHETSIS. YOU ARE NOT PREPARED.

Funny thing I noticed, and this was entirely a coincidence: In the game, outside Relic Castle after Ghetsis leaves, Cheren says, "It's hard to put into words...but I'll never forgive them for this!" Okay, simple enough. I don't know if those are the words in the original (Japanese) language, but it would be interesting to find out. Why? Because in the Japanese culture, "This is unforgivable!" apparently carries a **lot** more weight than in our culture. In Alphabet Soup, Cheren happens to be half-Japanese (looking at his sprite and stuff, I figure that he's at least partially East Asian of some ethnicity; I made him half-Japanese because Cheren Shiro sounds good). I figure that here he's at least aware of the cultural significance of what he's saying, and so probably wouldn't say it unless he got **pissed.** And, uh...Look at that scene. Look what Team Plasma's been doing this whole time. He had every right to be livid.

Also, Idoun and Alder. You like?

So! What did you think? Did you like?


	30. We're The Same Soul

Thanks for all the reviews, guys! Sorry it took so long; I've been super busy this week. And I got an awesome piece of fanart that I'm gonna put on my profile in a moment! Thank you all so much for reading and enjoying, and I hope you like this next chapter too!

Oh, and this is VERY important! I'm going on vacation next week and won't be back for a couple of weeks. I'm going on vacation next week and won't be back for a couple of weeks. I'm going to try to do another update, but no guarantees. Sorry!

Well, please read and enjoy!

* * *

Frankly, Bree wasn't entirely sure why she and Bianca had decided to get off the subway and walk the rest of the way to Opelucid. Cheren was still on it, likely passing under them through the Tubline Bridge now, and yet the two girls had gotten off. Then again, Bianca wanted the fresh air and the subway was getting rather cramped at that last spot. Despite her claustrophobia, Bree didn't think that she'd get a panic attack; after what happened at the Relic Castle, however, she wasn't taking any chances.

And then, on the frozen banks of the moors of Icirrus, Bianca challenged her to a battle. She wanted to know just how good she had gotten. She and her pokemon had been itching for a fight with her best friend. How could Bree deny that?

Bree utterly refused to use Idoun in that battle. Though the Zweilous was definitely more cooperative than when first caught, Bree was not going to use the pokemon in any battle until she was absolutely sure she could control her. Idoun's brutal attack on Hector still played out in her mind, and Ghetsis' Hydreigon...

"River!" Bianca shouted as she called out her Stoutland, thankfully bringing Bree back to the battle. She sent out Kaylee in response, and watched with a smile as the two Stoutlands played in the frozen marsh.

Despite her lack of self-confidence, Bianca had markedly improved. And with the match being five-versus-six instead of six-versus-six, the two girls eventually found themselves fighting with only Kazumi and Porkchop left. Looking at the Samurott and Emboar facing off on the ice, Bree was brought back to that simpler, more innocent time, that first battle in their room between Kazumi and Julian and Porkchop when they were all young and inexperienced. She missed that time, when things weren't complicated and she wasn't forced into this whole "saving the world" business which was several orders of magnitude less awesome than the movies and books made it out to be.

Both Kazumi and Porkchop had to dig their claws into the inch-thick ice to keep from slipping and sliding about, but neither made a move to go onto frozen ground that would be boggy in warmer weather. They both relished the added challenge.

Porkchop's powerful fists were stopped by the flat of Kazumi's blade; the Samurott grunted against the force barely held back. She was strong, but the Emboar traded his foe's finesse for even more raw power, and so was eventually able to push over Kazumi. Toppling over onto a thin patch of ice, she fell through.

Bree should have been panicked, but instead she smiled. She knew what her pokemon was about to do. Sure enough, a careful observer would notice a dark shape effortlessly gliding under the ice, circling around the Emboar's body. With a crashing torrent of frigid water, Kazumi burst through the ice shattered by her horn. Clawing her way back onto solid footing, she gripped one sword in her right paw and swept low, hoping to knock Porkchop off his broad but clumsy feet.

He managed to jump back and dodge the attack, but his cloven feet slipped upon landing. Scrambling for purchase but finding none, Porkchop landed on his rear with an audible, amusing, _whump_ that was shortly followed by a not as amusing _crack._ The force of his impact, combined with the beard of rippling flames that brushed the ice, caused the ice to creak and give way under him.

But Bianca forfeited and recalled her pokemon before he could be plunged into the freezing water below. Not that Porkchop was in any serious danger, of course.

"You've gotten really good," said Bianca to her best friend as they hugged. "Like, really good. I don't care what happened down at the Relic Castle or up at the top of the tower, you're gonna get Zekrom and N won't stand a chance!"

Bree laughed as she recalled Kazumi (who earned a nice rest) and sent out Eve; the Archen stretched and shook off the bruises that Corn had given her before taking flight behind the two young women as they started walking. "And what about you, Bianca? Cheren told me about how freaking awesome you were with him down in the castle ruins. Seriously, the two of you together are unstoppable!"

Bianca flushed bright pink at that, did a careful study of the frosted marshland at her feet. "Aww, well, it wasn't anything, really." Getting a can of soda from the vending machine before the bridge, Bianca took a long sip before continuing. "You know, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my life. I mean, you and Cheren both know what you want to do..."

"Yeah, well, Cheren's really stubborn, and the only goal I have is one that was put right in front of my face. And it's not exactly a long-term goal," said Bree as they walked on the Tubline Bridge. Subway cars sped past underneath, and regular cars drove right by. It all rattled the structures, vibrated the steel grating below their feet. If Bree clenched her jaw she could feel her legs shake and her teeth clatter against each other. Bianca moved slowly, afraid of getting her feet caught in the gaps between metal. Eve wove in and out of the supports on the bridge, squeezing herself through spaces much smaller than her, while Bree all but drooled over several passing motorcyclists.

"I mean," said Bianca, "There's so many different things I want to be! One moment I want to be an actress, and the next I want to design clothes for models like Elesa, because I know I'll never be pretty enough to wear them, even though Cheren always tells me I'm wrong about that." Blushing, Bianca didn't notice Bree's almost-smirk as she continued, "And then he makes research sound awesome, and I want to do that too."

"Well, maybe there's a way to make both of them work." Behind her, Eve let out a surprise squawk and dove closer, trying and failing to conceal herself behind her trainer's shoulders.

"Eve? What's wrong?"

The Archeops began scratching at her pokeball, begging to be let back in. _They're back, they're back, the not-all-human shadows..._

Just as Bree recalled her pokemon with one hand and pulled Bianca close with the other (call it premonition, instinct, whatever you want), the Shadow Triad appeared.

The leader stepped forward. "I know we're in public. But if you shout for help, do you think anyone will stop their car and get to you in time?"

Bianca whimpered, which Bree stopped with a squeeze of her hand as they were forced to Ghetsis.

"So it seems you have the Dark Stone," he said. "Excellent. A job well done." It was clear to Bree that, at least from his single red eye, he thought this was anything but excellent. He paced back and forth. "It is N's thought that the holders of the two legendary pokemon should put their beliefs on the line and fight to see who is the true hero."

"It's gonna be me!" Bree said. "None of you know what the fuck is going on and I know there's some sort of fuckery going on in N's past, and I swear if you have anything to do with it I'm gonna be pissed!" Pissed? Well, that she had gathered up enough courage, or foolhardiness as a well-meaning Cheren would say with a (reluctantly approving) sigh, for that outburst was enough of an accomplishment for the moment.

Ghetsis paced back and forth, ignoring her outburst. "That won't be necessary, however. From N's birth, the sages and I have provided him with the education necessary to become the hero of legend. Indeed, the legendary Reshiram has acknowledged him as such. He is pure."

"But pure doesn't always mean good," said Bianca, so quietly that for a moment Bree thought she had imagined her friend's voice. "I mean, you can be, like, pure evil or something..."

Opening his mouth to say something, Ghetsis apparently thought better of it. Then he said, "At first only a few trainers will release their pokemon. But then there will be more and more, and not even the gym leaders will be able to resist us, much less you! And even people like sad little Bianca will be unable to resist public opinion and will release their pokemon as well."

Bree began seriously considering knocking over Ghetsis and throttling the life out of him before he could release that damned doom dragon of his-and actually bent her knees, preparing to spring-when three sets of yellow eyes glanced at her. She stood back up with a gulp.

"You may have the stone, but you're not pure. You were not raised from birth for this. Zekrom will never accept you. You still want to challenge N? Then you better find some courage, because you're going to need it." And with that, he and the Shadow Triad left.

Bree felt Bianca sway beside her, felt her own knees wobble as well. Placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, Bree took deep breaths until she calmed down.

* * *

There seemed to be some unwritten law of the universe that even in the fanciest of malls, the food court would be greasy and dirty, the too-small tables would always be redecorated with gum, and there would be a perpetual unidentifiable smell hanging in the air.

The two girls didn't care. All they focused on was cramming down their salads (and ice cream, of course) before returning to their shopping spree in the huge complex on Route Nine.

...Could it really be called a shopping spree if they hadn't bought that much? Or anything at all yet? What should have been a fun time was turned stressful and uneasy because of Ghetsis. Well, fuck him. Bree and Bianca were going to relax (even if shopping was more Bianca's thing) before heading to heading to Opelucid!

Which was why they were walking down the polished hallways of the shopping mall, sipping hot chocolate and loudly wondering how much they could afford to get. And then Bianca let out an excited squeal and ran over to the other side of the corridor.

"Look Bree! Look, there are Dusk Stones on sale!"

Bree didn't need to be told twice. Snatching up the last two Dusk Stones from the bin, she and Bianca ran outside giggling, where their Lampents eagerly snatched up the stones.

Two flashes of light later, Erik and Christine looked at their trainers. Violet flames mixed in their bodies, trailing out of the tops of their heads.

_Nice,_ said Erik.

The two siblings, now Chandelures, shot experimental blasts of fire and miasma at each other, only stopping when one poorly aimed flame nearly set a bush on fire.

Hastily returning their Chandelures, Bree and Bianca looked at the skyline not far ahead. Opelucid, where the final badge was waiting, where Cheren was likely impatiently tapping his foot at this rate.

* * *

Opelucid was one of the wealthiest, most affluent cities in Unova. Even a simple one-bedroom apartment here would cost at least a million dollars. The streets were immaculate, with none of the eclectic multicolored charm of Castelia, but the beige and off-white sandstone buildings (carved in a sort of classical style) with thickly shaded sidewalks were beautiful in their wealth, like works of art. One long avenue on the east side of the city was dotted with dozens of different museums. Nearly every apartment had a doorman. Most people in Opelucid were people of high society, socialites with Cinccinos and bratty teenagers who believed that they were the center of the world.

"When I become the Champion," Cheren said over a cup of coffee, "I'm going to live here."

Bree took a long sip of coffee before responding. She always had to drown its bitterness in cream and sugar before even a single sip was tolerable, but coffee not only ensured that she'd be awake (as if she needed that), but also helped her breathe more easily. "You do that, Cheren. I'll be down in Castelia. It's more fun there!" Opelucid was beautiful, but Bree got the sense that her attitude, her willingness to play in the mud, wouldn't exactly fit here. Besides, everything here was so expensive. If you knew where to look in Castelia (in the villages, little hole-in-the-wall restaurants with lines stretching out the door), you'd get equal-quality food for a quarter of the price.

"What is it Bianca? You haven't said much." Walking over to Bianca, who was idly picking at her biscotti, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "It's going to be okay, Bianca. Alder's the champion; he'll defeat N easily. And if he doesn't, then Bree has Zekrom in her bag. I heard what Ghetsis said, and he's just an asshole. Besides, I hear you both have Chandelures now." The young man smirked as his two friends dissolved into giggles.

A small commotion from a park space down the block drew their attention. Soon, several people walked past the three trainers, talking amongst themselves with worried looks on their faces.

"What that guy Ghetsis said..."

"Reshiram? Just like the legend?"

"But if the hero really has returned..."

"Is it true? Have we been making our pokemon suffer?"

"My Pawniard, Brand. We've been together for years. But would he be happier and more perfect if I let him go?"

Bree, Cheren, and Bianca sat up and looked at each other, significantly paler than they were before hearing that.

A young, familiar voice rang out close by. "There they are, Dad!"

An older man, his neat hair and full beard a pearly white, approached the three teenagers. Iris, the girl who helped out Bianca back in Castelia, was by his side.

"Iris told me about you," he said, extending his hand. "And Alder mentioned that Bree has the Dark Stone, and that I should tell you everything I know. My name is Drayden Costello, and I'm the gym leader here in Opelucid. My daughter, Iris, is training to be my successor. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Iris didn't even wait for Cheren to finish shaking Drayden's hand before saying, "You heard Ghetsis talk, right? He sounded a lot meaner here than he did back in Castelia. He was nice to us and Arty then, and I don't think he would be now."

"He probably doesn't need to be careful anymore," said Drayden as he turned back to the teenagers. "Come follow me to our house. I'll tell you what you need to know."

"Okay," Bree said as she walked with her friends along the spacious streets, following the two gym leaders to a carefully-maintained brownstone, nearly indistinguishable from the houses on either side of it.

As classical the outside of Opelucid was, that was how sleek and modernistic the inside of Drayden's house was to Bree. All clean black lines, polished metal, clear glass, and electric blue, Bree was almost expecting wiring and bits of electronics to be scattered everywhere. Judging how Cheren ran to the other side of the room and began fanboying over a fancy-looking computer, she wasn't that far off the mark.

Drayden brushed several papers off his extremely cluttered desk (including one rather thick and official-looking packet with the Unovan seal stamped on the front; the names _Drayden Costello_ and _Iris Misra-Costello_ were printed underneath), and sat down in the green leather chair behind it. "Okay, Where to start? First, Bree, that Dark Stone that Zekrom will likely awaken from?" When Bree nodded, he continued. "It, along with Zekrom, were once the same pokemon."

Iris butted in. "That dragon pokemon lived alongside twin heroes, and they helped found ancient Unova. Only it was called Isshu then, and everyone was happy!"

"I know this," said Bianca. "There's all sorts of really old long poems about it. Yes, I read poetry. Try not to faint. Anyway, one day there was a huge fight between brothers about whose vision was right, and which path Isshu should take."

"And it was so huge that the dragon split in half! One part became Reshiram and the other became Zekrom."

"Because the dragons were once one, they were equal," said Drayden. "Their battle raged ceaselessly, and they simply exhausted themselves while devastating the region. Eventually, the two brothers stopped it themselves and made peace."

"But the twins' sons ruined everything!" shouted Iris. "They started the fight all over again, and they tried to force their beliefs on everyone! And when Reshiram and Zekrom joined in, they went out of control!"

"They destroyed Isshu because of their refusal to compromise and work together. Cooperating, they created a prosperous civilization. But once they started fighting..."

"Even the pokemon got hurt," said Iris. "So if Team Plasma really wants to help pokemon, why do they want to use Reshiram?"

"Wait wait wait." Holding out one hand, Bree cradled her forehead with the other. "If they did so much damage last time, then why do I want to wake up Zekrom? And why did N summon Reshiram in the first place?"

Drayden hesitated before responding. "That's why I agree with Alder when he says that N doesn't fully realize what he is doing. And as for your reviving Zekrom...There is no other way, at least not one that can be done quickly enough. Furthermore, the two dragons are probably weaker than they once were."

"It'll be okay," said Iris. "I know it!"

"Okay..." Bree still wasn't fully convinced. But it wasn't like she had any other choice at this rate. She felt Cheren tap her shoulder, a reminder. "Wait," she blurted before Drayden would tell them to leave. "What about Zweilous and how they evolve? Alder said there's a good way and a bad way."

He sat back down. "When Deino evolves into Zweilous, it grows a second head. And much like Duosion, its consciousness splits as well. Unlike the Doduo of Kanto and Hoenn, Zweilous was not born with two independent heads and so cannot deal with it. The two heads fight constantly, over everything." Bree nodded; she was very familiar with this behavior.

His hands folded over each other, his thumbs drummed the bent index fingers. "Sometimes, a wild Zweilous will learn to reconcile with itself. At this point the two heads reunite and the pokemon evolves into Hydreigon. Much like how Duosion evolves into Reuniclus, the two consciousnesses refuse into one mind that is so much stronger than the sum of its parts. But for a wild Zweilous to learn to do this is extremely rare. Most of the time a Zweilous needs to be trained to work with itself by a trainer. Often the Zweilous has to be cared for by certified dragon trainers; many go with their trainers to Blackthorn City to do this."

"So basically a split personality merge is the good way for a Zweilous to evolve," Bree said, smiling when Drayden nodded. "And the bad way...?"

A deep breath later, Drayden decided to be blunt. "One head loses. The return to one consciousness will force the evolution as well, often much earlier than the peaceful reconciliation. But often the pokemon will die from shock, blood loss, or resulting infection."

Unease crept into Bree, tied her insides up in knots. "But if the pokemon survived..."

"Exactly," he said with a nod. "Then you'd have a Hydreigon. But a Hydreigon like **that**...An already brutal pokemon who evolved from such a violent act is often driven insane. Its vicious nature would be multiplied several times over. It would be almost kinder to simply put a Hydreigon like that down."

Was it possible for Bree to feel even more terrified of Ghetsis' Hydreigon than she was already? "Okay," she mumbled.

"Listen," said Drayden. "Come to our gym tomorrow. Rules are rules, and you will need to defeat us to earn the Legend Badge."

"Thanks," she said as she and her friends left Drayden's house. They walked in silence for a while along the wide streets, not saying anything, just letting their heads absorb the sobering information. As they walked through the park where a Team Plasma speech was apparently held, the tip of Cheren's shoe knocked into a small flash drive. Picking it up, he turned it over in his hands. Carved on the back was Team Plasma's emblem.

"What the hell?"

* * *

Music was a nearly unknown entity to N. Oh sure, he had read about it in some of his books, but other than the songs that his pokemon friends sang to him, N had nearly no exposure to music at all. And then he went to the Outside and was plunged in a world full of commercial jingles, concerts, and ipods.

And people playing music in the park. The very first time he heard a man playing a saxophone on a park bench, an upturned cap with several dollars in loose change lying in front of him on the ground, N stood there, insensible, for half an hour.

He had been standing here for nearly two hours. Standing here, in the dead of winter, the cold pressing down through his clothing, and he didn't even notice, much less care. The man with the black hair and the guitar, sending an electric affirmation of life down his spine, bursting coiled energy and activity, Bree's anthem. The woman with the large stringed instrument, playing a sweet melancholy, a melody of memories, a beautiful deep solemn song that made him close his eyes and sway back and forth, soothed his soul, took him by the hand and led him home.

_The world is much different from when I saw it last,_ said Reshiram in his head, though it was still in its pokeball. N still found communicating with the legendary pokemon slightly unnerving. When Reshiram spoke, it wasn't like the telepathic communication of psychic pokemon, where their "voices" were heard like hallucinations. Reshiram's voice felt like it came from his head, was _made_ by his head. It even had the same voice that he had.

"Yeah," said N under his breath, so quietly that nobody could hear over the sweetly playing music that controlled N's body from the outside. "Now people are meanies to pokemon. They weren't when you were around last. Right?

_...I could not say._ And that was Reshiram. It was so...Strange. Eerie, sometimes. As if Reshiram only had part of a mind. Part of Reshiram, the memories, possibly some will deep down, was its own. The rest...it was like looking into a mirror. Seeing himself reflected through Reshiram.

N didn't always like what he saw.

But how? He was the king, right? Wasn't he right?

A bright flash of color tore him away from these uncomfortable thoughts, these doubts in his mind (that Bree had put there, that all the happy pokemon and people together had put there, that Reshiram (pokemon of truth) was reflecting in its washed-out mirror eyes). When N turned around and saw what it was, his gray-green eyes seemed to double in size and he let out a little squeal of joy as he ran inside the massive toy store.

People couldn't help but turn their stare at the gangly teenager all but jumping around the store, sweeping up dozens of assorted plush stuffed pokemon toys into a hug one moment and trying to squeeze himself into an expensive scale model of a toy car meant for toddlers to ride around in the next. He dribbled basketballs down the aisles with younger children, hid in a block fort, built multicolored towers out of lego bricks. He sculpted with blocks of clay, arranged and rearranged train tracks and then ran the miniature locomotives around his creation with spidery hands. He picked up a simple-looking necklace with a Blitzle charm, pressed its tiny jagged horn into the pad of his thumb until it hurt.

And then music filled his ears once again. He dropped the tin soldiers in his hands, let them clatter to the floor. N ran over, eyes filled with joy, to the source of the music-a giant piano keyboard, rolled out along the floor. Shoving aside a life-sized Girafarig plush toy, the boy king slid along the board, colored lights emitting with the quickly-descending plinking scales.

He ran back and forth in no pattern, the notes coming out as a jumbled din. He jumped up and down, slid back and forth, completely ignorant and unaware of the people looking at him, completely lost in a trance.

It wasn't music so much as noise, but it was his. Part of him wondered if, when all the pokemon were free and happy, Ghetsis would help teach him how to make music too. And if Bree knew how to play music, so that when he and Reshiram defeated her and Zekrom and she learned he was right and would be his queen, they could play together (but part of him, the deep down evil part that still told him not to free the hurt pokemon, the part that he saw flickering glimpses of in Reshiram's bleached blue irises told him Ghetsis would probably say no).

Eventually, he left the keyboard, exhausted but happy. Walking past a part of the giant store, he doubled back at something that caught his eye.

It was a brightly colored picture book, like one of the ones (Go Lillipup Go! and One Basculin, Two Basculin, Red Basculin, Blue Basculin) that he read and was still somewhere in his room. It was one of those. It was a little story about a girl who captured Volbeat and Illumise and put them in a jar so she could read by their lights. It made him cry, this first introduction about how people used pokemon for their own benefit without thinking about them. He was glad that other children were reading this book, to know he was right.

Except...N frowned as he flipped through the pages. Something was wrong. This book was different. His book stopped a few pages before this one. His book didn't have a real ending, just stopped in the middle of things with the poor trapped firefly pokemon.

This book ended with the girl thanking the pokemon for sharing their light with her and letting them go.

Still clutching the necklace in his spindly hand, N looked at the last, different pages of the childrens' picture book. He curled up in a bright blue beanbag, smiling crayon drawings pinned up above him, and looked at them for a long time.

* * *

Cheren never did find out what was on that flash drive of Team Plasma's, because the data in was very well guarded. And by "well guarded," he meant, "Not only did all the files lock me out, but there's also a virus or something on this flash drive that will infect any computer that doesn't have a disabling key on it. That is, most likely any computer that's not registered to the higher-ups within Team Plasma. I got the virus out before it did any damage or embedded itself, but no way am I trying that again."

Still, he tucked the flash drive into his briefcase. He had gotten a brief glimpse of the titles of several files, some with dates, some with initials. Sure that he'd find a compatible computer at some point, he wasn't letting go of any possible information.

Bree just massaged her temples. It was plain to her-and everyone else-that Ghetsis' Hydreigon had evolved the, ah, "bad way," so to speak. And now that she knew this, the fear welled up again.

And how was she going to tell Idoun this? "Oh, yeah, if you two heads don't learn to get along, then one of you is going to brutally murder the other and if you don't die from it, then you're gonna turn into a rampaging murderbeast." Yeah, that would go over well.

She was sitting in the lobby of the pokemon center now, having just filled her prescription, wondering how she would talk to Idoun about this, when the receptionist called her name.

"Bree White?"

"Yes?"

"There's a package here for you." The receptionist passed a small, colorfully but haphazardly-wrapped package over to Bree.

"Thanks." What was it, and who could have sent it? Sitting down at an empty table, she opened it up.

Inside was necklace made from black cord. On the end of it, a tiny stone Blitzle. Carved from snowflake obsidian, its polished body was a mottled black and white. Its eyes, mouth, and stripes were marked with little notches in the stone. It was sweet in its simplicity, and Bree couldn't help but smile as she held it in her hand.

But who could have sent it to her? Looking back at the package, Bree saw a folded note. Opening it up and looking at the hasty scrawl, she somehow knew who wrote it before she saw the name.

_Bree, it's me, N. I wanted to go to your room and give this and tell you personally but the nurse said wouldn't be nice and I remembered that you got upset when I wanted to learn more about you so I left this with her. You said you like Blitzles, right? And that you had one, named Eric? I thought you might like this because it's a Blitzle too._

_You're nice to pokemon, and I'm sure Blitzle was happy with you. I like you. You're nice to pokemon, and I think that you're gonna be the other hero. I'm glad you got the Dark Stone. Ghetsis was wrong when he said that you wouldn't get it and he was wrong with all the other mean stuff he said too. I don't know why he doesn't like you. I like you._

_Why are you upset to be my queen? Don't girls want to be princesses and stuff? And I'm a king, so why wouldn't you like to be a queen too?_

_I'm sorry about Dragonspiral Tower. I didn't know you were behind me. I didn't want you to get hurt. I'm sorry you got hurt. I'm glad you're okay. Thanks for getting better. _

_I'll see you soon, in my castle, with Zekrom. Right? That's gonna be right, right? And then we'll see who's right._

_Even after, we'll be friends, right? We're already friends, right?_

And then, underneath, crossed out but still legible with some squinting:

_Bree, why do Cheren and Bianca's pokemon like them? Pokemon like people who don't let them be perfect. Why do they like them?_

_Bree, I used to know but now I feel all teeter-totter inside. Reshiram isn't helping. _

_Bree, I'm scared._

There was no signature. Bree sat down, staring at the note. She stood up, left the necklace on the table, then hesitated. Turning back, she took the necklace and put it on, placing it under her jacket and tucking the stone Blitzle charm under the front of her shirt, hiding it from view. Carefully folding up the note, she went back upstairs.

* * *

A/N: So that's the chapter! What did you think? Didja like?

Yeah, so Opelucid...The outside is the rustic-feeling Opelucid of White, while the inside is the futuristic chrome Opelucid of Black. As for what I based Opelucid off of... Go take a look at screenshots of Opelucid from White, and then look at pictures of Park Avenue on the Upper East Side and Central Park West on the Upper West Side. Go on. I'll wait. :D

Also, in the Alphabet Soup-verse, Iris is Drayden's adopted daughter, and she's Indian or whatever the pokemon equivalent is.

That toy store is an expy of FAO Schwarz, this FREAKING AMAZING toy store on 5th Avenue and 58th Street. I'm sure you've heard of it, or at least the floor piano from the movie Big. It would be N's mecca.

Also also, Reshiram and Zekrom. I'm just going to say it here. When Reshiram and Zekrom split from the original dragon, their soul (mind, whatever; I'm calling it a soul here) split as well. Part of Reshiram's soul is its own. The other part is a reflection of whomever is bonded to it. So part of Reshiram's soul is basically a reflection of N's here. It's like he constantly looking in a mirror.

N doesn't have mirrors in his room.

I AM SO EXCITED.


	31. And You Run To Catch Up With The Sun

*Grumbles* Urgh, I'm gone for nearly two weeks on vacation and when I come back, **this** is the kind of crap I upload? I am so sorry for disappointing you guys. *sigh*But I swear that the next chapters are gonna be better. There's only about six left, and they're all jam-packed with action and more N goodness.

But I'm back from vacation, guys! And I had a fantastic time! I celebrated my birthday during vacation too. Now, an awesome present would be to come back and find this story on the TvTropes rec list...I kid, I kid! :P

Anywho, I'll be returning to my regular schedule soon, I should be done by around this time next month, and I hope you find this piece of shit of a chapter somewhat acceptable...

* * *

"You know," said Bree to Drayden as she watched Eve race the one-armed Flygon around the perimeter of Opelucid Gym. "I wish this was what I had to do for the Legend Badge."

Pokemon were extremely sturdy creatures, but accidents happened. This Flygon, Coatl, was born with a weak left side to start with; then a freak blizzard, a rarity in Hoenn, combined with a flying accident caused injuries serious enough that her chitinous arm had to be amputated. Drayden had been in Hoenn when he came across Iris and the Flygon, then a Vibrava; he brought them back to Unova and adopted them both.

Even with her missing arm and deformed wing, Coatl was extremely competitive. Upon seeing the Archeops swing from pillar to pillar, the Flygon buzzed to life, immediately challenging her to a race. Iris and Drayden agreed to their pokemon's request; after all, this was part of her physical therapy. Besides, no trainer who deserved the name would make a disabled pokemon fight in a legitimate, challenging battle.

"Gym leaders usually fight one on one, but any type of match can be used as long as the conditions can be met within reason," Drayden said to Iris as well as Bree. "This match will be a double battle; Iris will be fighting along side me. Four pokemon will be used by each side; the first person to run out of pokemon loses!"

Who to use? Eve would have been good, but she was busy playing with Coatl in the basement. The Archeops had pleaded to play outside with her new friend, but with Team Plasma around Bree's answer was a resounding no. So of her other five...

"Sorry, Erik. You're going to have to sit this one out," she said to his pokeball.

"Are you ready?" When Bree nodded, Drayden said, "Then let's go. Crim! Thor!"

The red-headed Druddigon and sharp-tusked Fraxure materialized onto the field, letting out simultaneous roars.

"Simon! Kaylee!" The tag-team of Excadrill and Stoutland kicked up dirt, ducking under the veil of sand and rushing forward in simultaneous attacks. Kaylee wrestled with Crim, sharp teeth pitted against curved claws. Simon gritted his teeth and lowered his head, his own metal claws locked against his foe's large jutting tusks.

Crim's claws slipped along Kaylee's mustache, pulling out long hairs but otherwise leaving her untouched. When the Druddigon stumbled from the sudden lack of weight, Kaylee pounced. Her paws pressed down on the dragon's scaly back; her teeth scraped against her thick hide. Staggering under the Stoutland's weight, Crim went down. But in the same moment, Kaylee snapped back up, whimpering. Crying out, she scrabbled her paws to her mouth; lines of blood were running from her jaws and stained her muzzle. Studded barbs from the Druddigon's rough skin had cut into the soft tissues of her mouth and muzzle.

"It looks worse than it actually is," said Drayden. Nevertheless, Bree was already switching her out.

At the moment that Kaylee yelped, Simon tore himself away from Thor and ran over to her side. The Fraxure was an opportunist, however, and, lowering his head, charged Simon.

The Excadrill turned in time to see Thor coming, but not quickly enough to stop him. Knocked several feet backwards, Simon took some time to stagger to his feet. Flaring his claws, Simon growled, _You want to play that way?_ and met him blow for blow. Sweat dripped down both their foreheads as they dueled, the impact of each strike reverberating up Simon's arm and ringing in Thor's head.

The Fraxure and Excadrill moved in a circle, clashing together then jumping apart. The two pokemon grunted and shouted, but the grins on their faces made it obvious that they were having a very good time. Iris jumped around, shouting commands all the while. She had a very different battle style than her father, but the two of them somehow managed to smoothly synchronize and integrate their wildly contrasting techniques.

The two pokemon were so absorbed in their battle that they didn't notice the shadow looming behind them. But a just-released Kazumi did, and she audibly drew her sword.

"Odin!" Drayden shouted to the towering Haxorus whose tusks gleamed in the bright lights. "Focus on the Samurott!" It was one of the few commands that he had shouted during the battle. Drayden more than deserved his position as the top gym leader and occasional Elite Four member of Unova.

Bree cupped her hands and shouted over the clashing of sword against tusk. As the Haxorus reared back up, ready to swing his huge axe-like tusks downward, Bree shouted, "Kazumi! Can you handle this?"

The Samurott ducked and rolled out of the way; Odin's tusk slammed into the ground instead. _I'll be fine, Bree. Cheren and Marina taught me a powerful trick!_ Sidestepping two more times, barely dodging the Haxorus' powerful sweeping tail, she released a narrow jet of water at the dragon. Except the jet of water cooled so quickly that by the time it hit Odin's shin, it might as well have been a beam of ice.

With a crackling sound, the attack froze the limb solid. Odin stumbled, his claws slashing through air instead of their target. That thick muscular tail clanged off the back of Simon's helmet, knocking the Excadrill out of his locked grip against Thor and to the ground.

The Fraxure was surprisingly quick, even with the myriad battle injuries. By the time Simon had gotten to his feet, Thor mercilessly bore down on him. With a new wave of energy, he landed blow after blow; his tusks and tail repeatedly struck Simon's vulnerable spots. He found himself being driven backwards, caving under the relentess attacks. Soon, Simon was on his back again, one sword-like tusk held to his throat.

_Dead,_ said Thor. The Fraxure relaxed at his victory-and that was his mistake.

Simon snarled and whipped his head upwards. The edge of his steel helmet rammed into Thor's chin; the jagged protrusions on top cut in and came away bloody.

"Thor! You okay?"

"Excellent pragmatism. But can you stop Sazrand?"

"Sazrand?"

Two heads slammed into Simon's stomach before he had a chance to react. Rearing back, the Zweilous did another coordinated one-two headbutt that laid Simon out flat.

Kazumi didn't notice, so focused was she on the duel, until Simon hit the ground. But the Samurott trained for this, and so didn't let Simon's defeat distract her. Odin's attacks were much more powerful, but they were entirely brute force. There was no style, no finesse. Every swing left the powerful dragon open for a counterattack.

But Sazrand had defeated Simon, and now trained both heads on Kazumi. Giving a sideways glance, Kazumi shifted her stance, shielding her back with a nearby pillar. With one sword blocking Odin's weakening blows, and the other trained on Sazrand, it was clear she was faltering.

_Oh, please let this work_, Bree thought as she sent out her last pokemon."Idoun!"

Her two heads begin to curl their lips in a snarl, then stopped and sniffed the air. She lunged at Sazrand while Kazumi rallied, finished off Odin with sweeping swords and shots of ice.

Bree turned to command Kazumi, order her Samurott to help Idoun, when Drayden stopped her. "Don't."

"What, you don't want me to win?"

"No, it's not that." He pointed to the two Zweilous circling each other. "This is something your Zweilous has to do herself. Don't send in Samurott unless you must."

Again and again, Idoun charged Sazrand. But while Idoun's two heads squabbled, Sazrand's worked in tandem-the pokemon was on the brink of evolution. Idoun snarled and snapped at herself, competed to be the one to bite Sazrand first and so didn't score any hits on him at all. In fact, she was just exhausting herself.

_Is that it?_ taunted Sazrand as both of Idoun's heads tried to grab his foreleg but simply bumped into each other instead. _I don't even have to fight you to win! All I have to do is simply stand back and watch you finish yourself off._ To emphasize his point, Sazrand feinted left, then attacked with both heads, too quickly for Idoun to retaliate.

Bruised and battered, Idoun lifted up her heads and snarled as one. Nobody was going to sneer at her like that! A growl rippled down both throats as both her left and right head arced around and bit Sazrand on his two necks.

_You want to try us?_ Both heads lowered, Idoun charged Sazrand, who was rearing up to shoot a pulse of energy at her. But this time, Idoun's heads worked together. They veered sharply to the right; the pulse skimmed the clawlike protrusions on her back but otherwise left her untouched. Again, she whipped around and rammed into the other Zweilous.

The two pokemon locked heads, snarling and biting, but restraining themselves. The fight looked gory, with blood flecks everywhere, but neither pokemon actually seriously injured the other. Kazumi paced the field, obviously itching to join the fight but realizing that Idoun had to do this one herself.

Finally, Idoun gripped Sazrand in a headlock. Twisting both her heads sideways, she pulled the other Zweilous to the ground. Before he could get back upright, Idoun threw her entire weight on the other dragon, pinning him to the ground.

_Ha! Take that! Loser!_ _Loooooseeeeerrr!_

But instead of throwing a fit, Sazrand merely huffed an amused, _Good._ Idoun merely stood there in blank incomprehension while Drayden gave Bree the Legend Badge.

_Do you see what you just did?_ asked Kazumi.

_I..._ started Idoun. And then she stopped. _I._

Kneeling down, unafraid, Bree embraced her dragon while Eve and Coatl flew in behind the humans.

_Bree, Bree,_ Eve said as she flopped down on the scratched and scuffed battleground, _I danced with dragons!_

* * *

Route Ten would be lush in spring and summer. In the warmer months the trees would burst with verdant foliage, wildflowers would bloom in the meadows. Green moss would cling to the sides of the cliffs while shadows would dance on the undulating rivers; the rocks on the banks would be spattered by splashing waterfalls. And yet the winter scene played out before them, of snowdrifts and bare rocks, of the skeletons of trees, of sheets and sheets of blue-white ice poured down each rock face and frozen in place, was starkly beautiful in its own way.

But Bree and Cheren only partly paid attention, for they were battling on the wide wooden bridge. They battled as they always did, seriously, and yet Bree couldn't help but notice some sort of change.

As Kazumi clashed again and again with Hector, jumping over his sweeping tail and swinging down with her blades, eventually bringing down the Fraxure with her experience and skill, Bree realized what the difference was. Cheren was resigning himself to the loss. He was trying, but he didn't think he could win anymore.

"You're something else," he said while returning his final, defeated pokemon. "And I mean that seriously. How did you get so talented? You never showed this skill before..."

Bree shrugged. "I guess...I guess I kinda had to be? Because of N and Team Plasma. If I didn't get better fast, then N and Ghetsis would win and we'd lose all our pokemon."

Cheren was still standing there, unusually morose, the wind blowing his hair.

"You know what you need?" said Bianca. "Group hugs!"

Best friend hugs really were one of the best cures around; the way that Cheren relaxed and actually became slightly less serious was an obvious testament to that. And then he sobered up again, holding Bree at arm's length and staring intently at her.

"Bree, you've got to go right now. Since Alder's the champion, everything should be okay. But if not...You should hurry."

The partially-frozen river gurgled under their feet. "Cheren...Bianca..." Bree stepped back, one foot on the bridge, the other on the ground. "I haven't been paying a lot of attention to you guys lately. I'm sorry."

"Bree, seriously, it's okay. I, like, totally understand that you've got bigger things to worry about now, so I'm not mad or anything. You're my best friend."

"Bianca's right," added Cheren. "Normally I would be upset about getting shunted off to the side, but in these extenuating circumstances, I understand."

Behind, the tall meadow grass whistled. Above, Rufflets chased clouds. Now, Cheren and Bianca were holding hands. Now, Bree stood apart from her friends, alone, on her own.

Someone looking at a distance would see three silhouettes, see the one removed split off and run to the mountain in the distance-Victory Road.

Cheren sat down, letting his feet dangle off the side of the bridge, felt Bianca plop down next to him, felt her shift closer and closer to him. "Cheren, could you please smile for once? You haven't smiled for a while. I miss that."

"I know, but..." He raised his hands and dropped them back into his lap. "It's just that I was going to be the champion, the best of the best. And you just saw how easily Bree defeated me. Ever since Nimbasa, she's just...I can't catch up."

And then Bianca understood. Cheren, the perfectionist, the overachiever. The smart one. The one with the set-in-stone goals, for as long as she could remember. And then, this. Bree got better, so much stronger that none of them could keep up. Team Plasma happened. N happened.

And then Cheren hit this wall. Excelling for his entire life, and then he hit the one wall that he couldn't surmount, and at the same time Bree just raced past him. For the first time in his life, he couldn't do it. And here he was, left adrift, with nothing to be certain of anymore. It must have been like a slap in the face, it was probably worse than that.

"And I can't even help her," he added, unusually quiet. "I'm weak."

"Cheren," said Bianca, slipping her arms around him. "Don't say that. You're an awesome trainer. Bree doesn't want to be the champion, she just has to be right now." When he nodded in her arms, she added, "Cheren...I know we've both kinda been focused on Bree and the mess Team Plasma's been causing, but, like, I think we've all both grown a lot since Nuvema. I mean," she hesitated, then plunged on. No going back. "I, uh...I think I like you. More than, like, a friend..."

"Wait, what?" Truth be told, Cheren had definitely been thinking about that lately, about him and Bianca...together, but with all the shit going on around them, it wasn't exactly the time for romance. Besides. "Bianca, it's...complicated, dating someone you're friends with. What if it ruins the relationship?"

"But you and Bree dated and then didn't and you're still best friends!"

"Yes, but," Cheren said then broke off, because Bianca was close, too close. Her olive-colored eyes were wide, as if she was saying, _please?_

Cheren must have affirmed in some way, because Bianca may have had an occasional impulsive streak (seriously, what was it with him and impulsive girls?), but she wouldn't steal a kiss. And a kiss was certainly what Bianca did. Unusually bold for the normally timid girl, she had quickly brushed her lips against his, pressing against them for a moment before pulling back.

For once, Cheren was dumbstruck. Bianca giggled, perched next to him with her hands on the bridge between them both, her legs crossed on the side of the structure. "You're really cute like that, Scowlyspecs."

While Cheren tried to reboot the connection from his brain to his mouth, his friend's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands in excitement. "Cheren, I got it! I've got a great idea for helping out you and Bree against Team Plasma! It's super awesome!" She stood up, practically jumping with anticipation. "Just, just wait, okay? No, like, go and challenge the Elite Four and meet up with Bree; you're good enough to beat them too."

"And you're not going to tell me what this 'super awesome' idea is?" Cheren managed to ask with a raised eyebrow and wry grin. Though his face was still bright pink.

"But then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore," said Bianca. "Look, you'll think it's awesomely awesome, I know it! I gotta go do it now. Bye Cheren!" And with that, she ran back to Opelucid, though not before blowing a kiss to the young man.

Cheren sat on the edge of the bridge, holding two fingers to his still-tingling lips. Great. As if he didn't already have enough to sort through in his mind.

* * *

"Bree White," said the guard at the gate. "Let's check your badges."

"Okay," Bree said as she handed over her case.

"The Trio Badge!"

_Their first real battle, all together, unaware of what was what to come._

"The Basic Badge!"

_Lenora, who completely curbstomped her._

"The Insect Badge!"

_Eccentric Arty. Bianca and her Munna._

"The Bolt Badge!"

_Elesa's protective attitude. N and the Ferris Wheel. Cheren and Bianca, the depths of their friendship. Unorthodox tactics were her greatest asset._

"The Quake Badge!"

_Clay's blunt, no-nonsense nature. Another confirmation of using unorthodox tactics. Chargestone Cave. N. Simon._

"The Jet Badge!"

_Skyla, so carefree. Eric and Erik. The Celestial Tower. N was starting to slip..._

"The Freeze Badge!"

_People can be redeemed, can start over. Reshiram._

"The Legend Badge!"

_Legends and her role to play in them. The dragons' grace. Idoun._

"Bree White, you have obtained all the badges of the Unova League. Pass forth onto Victory Road!"

Victory Road was a well-traveled yet still wild system of cave routes on a steep slope. The entire area was loose sand and bare rock, nearly devoid of vegetation. On the top were the lights of the official headquarters of the Pokemon League.

_Bree,_ _why can't I fly you to the top?_ asked Eve.

"Because," said Bree, "It's against the rules."

Sometimes tradition was stronger than any written law, and this was certainly a case. Once a trainer already made it through Victory Road and to the Pokemon League once, he could certainly fly back up and bypass the grueling journey as many times as he wanted. But that first time? He had to travel through himself, with nobody's strength other than him and his pokemon. Or her, in the case of Bree and so many others.

Besides, Victory Road was arduous, but it wasn't truly dangerous. Trainers on the way to the Elite Four (though there weren't so many this time of year) would always help another out, and there were climbing ropes and routes installed.

Even with the tense situation, Bree felt nothing but exhilaration. She quivered with energy, felt her heart surge. In her mind she felt the iron drum beat, felt the music swell to crash over her. How could she not?

...If only this could be under different, less desperate circumstances. If only she was able to do this together with her friends, instead of racing on her own in a mad dash to stop a fucked up kid and his fucked up dream, forcing herself to be the heroine of legend that she never wanted to become but now needed to be.

Bree took a deep breath. "Come on guys. Let's go."

Just like with Cheren and Bianca on Route One, so long ago, here Bree shared the first step of Victory Road with her pokemon.

* * *

"Thanks, Mister Drayden!" Bianca ran breathless out of the gym leader's house and onto the streets of Opelucid. Her blonde head turned back and forth, looking for the subway station. Though many of the subway stations were dirty, overall it was much, much better than what it used to be and the fastest way she could think of to get to every single city in Unova on such short notice.

"Darn it," she said to herself. "Where's the station?" Bianca sighed. "Oh who am I kidding? Even if I found the subway station I'd never be able to find my way to the other cities in time."

Of course, even when focused, her mind was very easily distracted. Which is why her attention quickly shifted to the familiar voice saying, "Great job, Colbert!" behind her.

Colbert was a Rufflet clearly about to evolve. Its trainer was a familiar-looking young man with shaggy brown hair and placid brown eyes. A light blue jacket and red-and-white cap of a similar make to Bree's completed the picture.

"Lawrence? Is that you? Hi, Lawrence!"

Lawrence looked up at the sound of his name being called, smiling when he found the source of it. "Oh, hi. Bianca, right? Nice to see you again."

"You too, Lawrence. Whatcha doing here? I thought you lived in Striaton."

He laughed nervously, running a hand through his mane. "Heh, well, technically I'm not supposed to be. The Striaton gym's closed because Chili and Cress have the flu and Cilan needs to take care of them. I finished working with Dr. Fennel for the day, so I just sort of rode the trains up here for the heck of it. Even though with Team Plasma's prominence, my mom's getting really paranoid. She's starting to talk of moving."

"...That really sucks." Was that all she could say about the situation? She really was the most useless of the three.

No. She wasn't. Bree didn't think that. Cheren didn't think that. She was useful! This would prove it!

Wait, what did Lawrence say? "You know the mass transportation systems around here?

He nodded. "Yes, both buses and subways. I've got to admit, I'm a bit of a train fanboy."

"Really?" Of course! "Then would you please help me? I need to get to all the cities in Unova with gyms fast, but I, like, don't know the train routes really well."

"The routes aren't too hard to figure out after a while. Sure, I'll help you out. I need to get back to Striaton anyway."

"Awesome! Thanks, Lawrence!" Bianca couldn't help but punch the air as Lawrence led her to one of Opelucid's several subway stations. This was gonna be awesomely awesome!

* * *

A/N: That sucked, right? *sigh*

Yeah, Cheren taught Marina Ice Beam, and the two of them taught it to Kazumi while Bree was out of commission. Speaking of Cheren...

I rather like Cheren, and while I understand why some people see him as whiny, I just don't see him like that. Then again, I know exactly what he's going through. Think about it. His entire life he has had one single goal in mind, and he's been driven to it. And now you, the player character, pull out the rug from under him. He's left adrift. He's having a goddam crisis of faith. He was the best and now he's hit this wall and at the same time you're just zooming by.

I know what Cheren's going through in the game, because I went through something similar about a year ago. It's not fun. It's awful. But he'll turn out okay, just like I did.


	32. It's Just You And No One Else

I have come to the conclusion that any chapter without N is completely and utterly sucktastic. I am so, so, sorry. But, thankfully, after this chapter there will be N IN EVERY CHAPTER! I am so incredibly excited, because next chapter is where the **fun** starts.

Although I do kinda like some parts of this chapter. I had fun with Grimsley and the start of his fight.

* * *

After what seemed to be hours of trudging through the winding, maze-like path, culminating in a tiny winding road with a towering rock face on one side and a sheer drop to a rushing river on the other, Bree officially decided that it was high time to Fuck That Shit. The fact that she was currently clinging to jutted out rocks on the cliff, trying rather hard not to think about the splat sound her body would make if she fell several hundred feet, while Eve gripped her shoulders to lift her trainer in the air if she were to fall, didn't exactly help matters any.

Shuffling along the cliff, firmly averting her eyes from the white water below, Bree finally made it to the other side, where the floor opened up and she could finally stand normally.

And, of course, instead of an actual passageway there was a stone wall in Bree's path. She just stared at the rock, so pissed about the dead end that she didn't even notice Idoun's pokeball slip out of her hand, until three growls rumbled from behind her, to the left. Part of Bree's mind froze up, some sort of primal or possibly repressed instinct.

Several seconds later, the three growls turned to three frightened yelps as the Deino pack fled back into the deeper part of the cave.

_Wasn't me,_ said Eve.

_Yeah, run,_ roared the twin voices of Idoun, _Run away because you're pathetic! We're strong and you're weak!_

"Great job, Idoun," Bree said. She then turned to the rock face and tapped it. Fat lot of good that would do; and what if her hearing was good enough to know if there was a tunnel behind it? It wasn't exactly as if she had any explosives on her, or a giant drill...

Oh. Right. Why the heck was she spending so much time slogging through yet another cave (especially one so deserted, even for the off season) when she had a pokemon so good at digging that his species was used to help construct subway tunnels? "Simon, do you think you can tunnel through this rock?" she asked as she released her pokemon.

Simon ran his claws along the stone and huffed a short laugh. _I think you call this stone limestone. I call it I Won't Even Need Half The Day._

* * *

Simon was right; they were out of Victory Road and at the sculptured marble gates of the Pokemon League before noon. And they would have been there faster if Simon hadn't abruptly made a detour, offering only _This is a place of power _as an explanation.

In any case, they were now climbing the rickety staircase lined with books upon books. Bree had done her research (well, Cheren had bugged her and Bianca to study with him) and when she saw the violet-haired figure bent over a laptop and notebook, she knew that this was Shauntal. She was well-known for her expertise with ghost-type pokemon, and was probably just as famous for her novels, especially her mysteries. Even Cheren had been unable to figure out her latest one; how was he supposed to know that everyone did it?

Shauntal did not notice Bree's presence; instead, she was scribbling in one of many notebooks and typing on her computer while saying to herself, "Eyes brimming with dark flame, this man rejected everything other than himself in order to bring about one singular justice. Such a fascinating person; I'm certain he'll provide just as interesting an inspiration in my next book. Yet there was something so melancholy and, well, off about him..."

The first Elite Four member was, quite clearly, not paying any attention to Bree. So instead she began leafing through one of the many filed notebooks. And then realized that Shauntal was also well-known under another alias, albeit an online one.

"You're Shikimi? The one who wrote the Broken Arrows fanfic?"

"You know," said Shauntal, who had suddenly moved to right behind Bree's back, "it's impolite to look at other peoples' personal notes."

"Gah!"

"I did notice your arrival, I just chose not to acknowledge it until I wrote down some story and character ideas that the previous challenger inspired before I lost them. And the answer is 'yes,' by the way."

Bree had several responses to choose from them, and decided to settle on thrusting her computer in Shauntal's face, coupled with a near-shout of, "Will you sign my laptop?"

"Uh...You came all the way here just for an autograph? I'm flattered, truly, but..."

"Oh. Oh! Okay, uh, let's go!" What the hell was she doing, goofing off at a time like this?

Even childish Eve had become more serious in her fighting, as she ran up one of many bookcases and backflipped into the Cofagrigus' unprotected face. Well, maybe she still wasn't as serious a fighter as Kazumi or Simon.

Isis, as the pokemon was called, retaliated by wrapping her amorphous hands around Eve's form. The Archeops kicked and clawed, again and again scratching the Cofagrigus' already dinged and dented metal plating and cutting through this arms of miasma. Though those hands quickly reformed, Eve had just enough time to free herself from the ghost pokemon's grip.

Something was different about Eve as she dive-bombed her foe again and again, and it took the light catching off her claws for Bree to figure it out. Somehow, her attacks had left the Archeops coated in a thin film of the Cofagrigus' gold covering.

_Bree, look! I'm shiny now! Whee!_

While Eve was busy admiring herself in the large window behind the battle arena, Isis punched her. Eve squawked and tumbled to the ground.

"That was easy," said Shauntal. Behind her, Isis opened her mouth to laugh, then left it hanging open.

Eve swung to her feet and took to the air. _Normally I'd be knocked out by now,_ she said as she resumed her attack with vigor. But the Cofagrigus' gold leaf that had been transferred blunted the brunt of the blow.

"Enough!" Shauntal shouted over the _whang_ of Eve ramming her head into Isis' body and leaving a very noticeable dent. Of course, the rather large bookcase that had collapsed on the pokemon was a rather more pressing matter. In any case, it was more of a mess for Shauntal to deal with after this match.

Though Shauntal's ghost pokemon were slow, she was speedy in her tactics. Eve was in the middle of her victory dance (which was, of course, done midair and made up on the spot) when a jet of violet flame engulfed her.

"EVE!" Bree shouted as the flames died away.

Somehow, defying all expectations, Eve was still airborne. Except that the gold plating had melted away and was now drip-drip-dripping down her ankles to form a small puddle on the ground, and her colorful feathers were now singed a nice charcoal color. And smelled like it too.

_I smell like those breaded fried nuggets you like to eat,_ Eve said, barely managing to dodge a lump of miasma headed her way, courtesy of a large Chandelure.

"Esmerelda, another flamethrower!" Eve screamed and flew around Esmerelda as quickly as she could, the jet of fire so close that it made the tips of her tailfeathers smolder.

Wait a minute. "Eve, just like you practiced with Cheren and Ozymandias!"

_Got it!_ Folding up her wings, Eve plummeted below Esmerelda just milliseconds before another jet of flame seared the spot where she just was. And then, folding up her limbs and curling her claws, Eve did a powerful uppercut, slashing into the Chandelure from below with the stony edges of her feathered arms.

Esmerelda collapsed. Right on top of Eve.

After that was straightened out and the books were placed back into their proper spots, both trainers stood on opposite sides of the now quite dirty arena.

"Dorfl!"

"Kazumi!"

Dorfl was a towering Golurk, but still a Golurk. Part ground type. Under flowing white whiskers, Kazumi smiled as she drew her blades.

Dorfl didn't move. It didn't even make any noise. Its eyes were dim and dull, passing over Kazumi and instead focusing on Bree.

_Bree, something's-_

_Enemy of the Isshu king!_ The ghost's eyes blazed yellow, and it threw one giant hard fist at Kazumi.

It was much stronger than a normal attack should be, even for a match against two skilled trainers. Kazumi audibly grunted as the fist collided with her chest, and the other one that smashed into her muzzle came away bloody. She didn't even have time to counterattack.

The berserk ghost didn't stop there. With a whirring, clunking, _Stone of the other; enemy of the Isshu King!_ it flew to Bree, ready to eliminate any threats to the Isshu King-_N-_

-Only to be stopped in its tracks by a red light. As she hastily withdrew her Golurk, Shauntal said to it, "What has gotten into you today? First you stop fighting the previous challenger and actually aid him, and now you try to attack a trainer?"

She looked at Bree. "I am so, so sorry for the abominable actions of my pokemon. I'm not going to continue this fight. If Dorfl would act like that, then I don't want to know how the rest of my pokemon might behave."

Wait, did Shauntal just forfeit the match? "But..."

"I don't want to hear it," she said. "One thing you learn is that it's much better to have a loss added to your record than to be responsible for a severe injury or even a death. Pokemon battles are rough. But they should not be dangerous. Is your Samurott okay?"

Bree nodded. "Yeah, it's just a bloody nose." Behind them, clouds covered the sun and the sky flashed from far-off lightning. A storm was rolling in.

"Oh," said Shauntal, fishing for a sharpie marker, "You said you wanted me to sign your laptop?"

As Bree walked back down the staircase, she heard Shauntal apologizing to each of her pokemon for losing the match.

* * *

Grimsley wasn't paying much attention to Bree as she padded up the plush red carpet and stood under the chandelier. But then again, his back was turned to her; he was busy knelt over bandaging his burnt Serperior with clean white cloth.

"I know," he said while applying more ointment to the burns marring the pokemon's iridescent scales, careful not to stain the sleek black leather of the couch, "But Crowley, you're simply in no condition to battle right now."

Crowley hissed; it was obvious to anyone that he was annoyed at his trainer and upset with himself. Grimsley just laughed gently and shook his head. "Crowley, that's because you are a grass type and Mihael is not. Fire hurts you more. No Crowley, I don't want to hear your complaining. Oh look, another challenger is here, we'll have this conversation later. Geez, what's with all the challengers today?" He looked to Bree, bathed in candlelight, lowered his eyelids, and lazily smiled. "Welcome."

Maybe it was the silk in his voice. Maybe it was the suave, slightly smug attitude radiating off of him. Maybe it was the the way his sleek shiny black hair was smoothed back, or the scarf, or the all-angles expensive suit. Or maybe it was just how smoothly he fit into his room and battle arena, how..._seductive_ it all looked, especially with the bottle of expensive wine on the table right behind him. In any case, to say that Grimsley radiated classiness and that certain sexuality that came with it would be a massive understatement. Grimsley could, in fact, commit sexual harassment simply by sitting very quietly in the next room.

Bree tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was some sort of strangled whimper. Was it just her, or did the temperature of the room just jump several degrees?

"My oh my," Grimsley tutted, uncomfortably close to her, "If you're so hot and bothered already, how will you stand a chance against me? He jumped back, silken scarf fluttering in the air. "Matt, why don't you show her how it's done?"

The Krookodile flexed his claws and flashed his teeth. This had the side effect of bringing Bree back to reality instead of whatever estrogen-fueled fantasy she was occupying at the moment. "Kaylee!"

Matt was surprisingly fast, and the red-and-black stripes running down his body helped camoflauge him in the dim half-light of the arena. In just seconds, he seemed to completely vanish.

"Kaylee, trust your nose!" Barking an agreement, she closed her eyes and started sniffing the arena. After seconds, she launched herself at a shadow that seemed oddly out of place. Matt was knocked flat on his back, his long snout thrown into harsh relief in the light of the chandelier.

"Excellent move," purred Grimsley. "But how will your Stoutland fare against this?"

Scooping his long snout under Kaylee's chest, Matt threw his head back, launching the dog into the air. By the time she got back on her feet, the Krookodile was not only upright, but also attacking with his sharp teeth and claws. They tore into her thick coat and pulled out clumps of fur.

But Matt was tiring, and quickly. When he paused to catch his breath, Kaylee again rammed herself in his vulnerable belly. His arms flailing ineffectually, the Krookodile went down.

Grimsley didn't let Matt's loss bother him. He seemed completely calm and unaffected; the complete smoothness of his actions again made the higher-functioning portions of Bree's mind short-circuit. Tutting, he said, "Greebo, let's show her the downsides of brute force."

Greebo was a Liepard, and a scarred and extremely bad-tempered one at that. Yet somehow, when it came to seduction, Greebo was as much a master of the art as his trainer. The purr emitting from deep in his chest as he curled around Kaylee froze her in her tracks. He stretched against her, lazily rubbed his head into her side, gently ran the curved sickle of his tail against Kaylee's now-exposed throat.

It was dangerous in this position, Kaylee knew, yet somehow she was frozen in place, putty in Greebo's paws. Bree was similarly sluggish and distracted under Grimsley's smoldering gaze and faint smirk.

Then the light from the chandelier above caught Greebo's unsheathed talons. It pierced the haze of Bree's mind. At the exact moment that he pounced, Kaylee vanished in a flash of red light.

Greebo turned around just in time to see Simon roar, _Claws off my mate!_ and punch him in the face.

That broke the spell, and possibly one of Greebo's teeth.

Of course, Bree realized. Grimsley was having such an effect on her because that was part of his strategy. It was what he wanted: Throw her off topic. Just like Skyla did, but with a bit more classiness to it.

"You won't get me distracted anymore, Grimsley! And Simon can take any of your attacks!"

"Okay then. Aziraphale?"

Just as Grimsley said, Aziraphale lunged forward and slashed twice, knocking Simon off his feet. Simon blindly slashed upward, but his claws simply clanged off the steel of the Bisharp's ribs. Simon stepped back, flaring his claws over his scratched chest in a defensive stance, yet still wobbled.

Nothing happened. Aziraphale waited for his (no, wait, her) foe to steady himself. Now Grimsley looked slightly peeved, which in his case meant that he tapped his foot on the hard floor of the arena and his voice had a slight crisp curtness to it. "Aziraphale," he said, "Must you be so infuriatingly noble in a fight?"

The Bisharp huffed a note of steel, raised her steel-gloved hands so the dim candlelight glinted off them. Raising both hands above her head, she swung down-

-And blinked. Both blades had found themselves lodged between Simon's claws. Under his metal helmet, he stared up at the pokemon made almost entirely of blades. With rippling muscles and a deep grunt, Simon threw up his hands. Aziraphale stumbled.

Before the Bisharp could right herself, Simon swept his leg, pounded the ground, made the earth rise up. Aziraphale thudded into the ground.

It was then that Bree noticed the misshapen metal covering on her foot. Almost as if it been warped and slightly melted by an extremely hot flame. The cells would regrow, but if the injury was very recent...

What could have caused a flame that intense?

Bree had an idea, and it wasn't an idea she liked. With the careful expression of one who was trying to avoid an epiphany, she turned back to the battlefield where Aziraphale was withdrawn and Simon wiggled feeling back into numbed claws.

On the other side of the arena, Grimsley sighed and sent out his last pokemon, saying, "Let's try to end this with dignity, Mihael."

The following sound was loud, violent, and could only be described as a Scrafty's foot embedding itself into an Excadrill's head. The next two sounds were the weak groans of Simon as he rubbed his still-ringing skull, and the extremely loud and colorful curses of Mihael as he clutched where the steely thorns of Simon's helmet had dug in. His ankle was also twisted painfully and Bree winced in empathy. Again, on closer inspection she could also see where the Scrafty's normally loose, baggy skin was tight and leathery from burns.

"Okay, I give," said Grimsley. Again, he closed his eyes and shook his head while sighing. "Now, a sore loser would blame his pokemon, perhaps say that they weren't at their best...but a loss is a loss, and there's no other way around it."

_Oh quit your fucking internalizing and accept that if the stupid long-haired kid with freaking RESHIRAM hadn't scorched all of us we'd have kicked this girl's ass! _snapped Mihael as he stood up, supporting himself on the hem of Grimsley's suit. Scowling, he pointed a finger at Bree and muttered, _I know you can speak our language like that kid can too, so listen up. You thrash Reshiram-kid's skinny ass, got it? And then you better get back here so I can thrash yours._

It wasn't until they left that Bree realized something.

"How did Mihael figure it out so quickly?"

* * *

It was quite a nice bed. No, it was a _very _nice bed. There were lacy curtains and silken sheets. There was gold trim and the white blankets and duvet were poofy, thick, and plush. The mattress itself was not only extremely cushy but also several times larger than the young woman sleeping in the middle of it with her long tresses of waved golden hair splayed out everywhere.

Bree and Erik had been staring at the third Elite Four member for some time with absolutely no response from her. She decided to state the obvious. "She won't wake up."

Erik peered over the bed, careful not to set anything flammable alight. Which was almost everything in the room. _Should we wake her?_

"Not you, you'll end up setting the place on fire by mistake and then we'll get arrested for arson," she muttered.

Just then the figure rolled over. Wisely, as it turned out, Bree and Erik stepped back.

The covers blasted off the bed in a way that really should not have been physically possible and somehow managed to wrap themselves around Bree's head, yet thankfully missed Erik's. The figure was now standing by the side of the bed in a nightgown, muttering gibberish and rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands.

"Why did you so rudely awaken me?" Her hair was long. It went all the way down to her ankles. It would have extended several inches past them were it not for the fact that it was floating.

It was a good thing that Bree both knew about the existence of human psychics and that she had other, more pressing things on her mind at the moment. So instead she waved her hand vaguely and called Erik to her side. "Let's just do this."

Caitlin smiled. Straight and to the point, just as she liked it. "Please don't bore me back to sleep."

"I don't think that will be the case," said Bree as Erik's violet flames flared.

"We'll see about that. Nazca?" Caitlin said to her Sigyliph. The all-angles bird shifted through the air, using her psychic abilities to phase through the blasts and bursts of flame that Erik shot at her. One stray fireball merrily made its way to the lacy curtains and bounced off a just-formed psychic barrier. It glowed pink for a moment, then settled back down to near-invisibility.

That was it! "Erik!" she called to her Chandelure held immobile by Nazca's sand-yellow psychic aura. " Fire doesn't work!"

_Understood,_ he hummed. A shadowy blob materialized from his appendages and drove itself towards the psychic barrier holding him back. The aura was consumed by violet until it went out with a wink, which rather disappointed Bree because she was hoping for something a bit more dramatic. A few seconds later, she got her wish when the backlash caused Nazca to pass out.

"Norma!" Caitlin shouted. The Gothitelle shouted too, a high-pitched shriek that put one in mind of long knives and serial killers and blood running down drains. It was like scraping long fingernails down the blackboard of Bree's mind. Erik was vibrating. His glass-like body reverberated and creaked under the psychic shriek. The violet flames inside him tumbled and twisted and pounded to get out.

So he did. When the flames eventually died down and the psychic barrier against the bed stopped glowing, Norma resembled something like a blinking cinder.

_Another one?_ she muttered. Ash flew from her mouth as she spoke. _Screw this._

Shooting a glare at her Gothitelle, Caitlin sent out her Musharna. The pokemon, named Lucidia, seemed to be able to fight while asleep. In any case, she refused to open her eyes while her pink wispy smoke drifted around Erik and dragged him into slumber.

Erik was most decidedly unable to battle while asleep, and so he fell to the floor. He bounced. He rolled. He came to a stop by Bree's foot.

There was only one pokemon Bree had left who would laugh in the face of psychic types. Literally. "Oh, Idoun!"

Two and a half minutes later Lucidia turned out to be either extremely timid or possessing an excellent sense of self-preservation. Either way, the end result was the same: The bruised Musharna found herself clutching the side of Caitlin's bed while Idoun's two heads snarled and snapped below.

Caitlin sighed. "Lucidia, I love you, but you can be such a baby. Anna, let's take down this dragon?"

Psychic types would have little, if any, effect on Idoun, but the Reuniuclus was versatile. Closing her eyes to focus her energy, Anna pummeled Idoun with energy-enhanced blows and blasts that seemed psychic but on closer inspection were not.

The attack only let up because Anna had spent all her psychic energy and needed to recharge, for lack of a better word. Both heads wincing, Idoun staggered to her feet.

"Reuniclus has two brains, Idoun! Just like you!"

_Just like Sazrand. Just like me._ Both heads lowered, snarled. She would be ready.

And she was. Though Idoun was blind, she could sense the sensitive changes in the air as Anna's gel-encased fists came hurtling towards her, ready to knock her out.

Opening her mouth as wide as it would go, Idoun let Anna's fist lodge in her mouth and bit down. She felt the squishy cytoplasm-like flesh of the Reuniclus give but not burst, resisted the urge to gag.

When Anna tried to punch Idoun with her other arm, the Zweilous' other mouth also trapped the attack. Even though both her mouths were filled with Reuniclus, Idoun managed to smile. Well, technically it was a smile. It certainly showed a lot of teeth.

Anna was smart, and her mind suddenly conjured a wonderfully vivid image of exactly what would happen if she yanked her easily-torn membranous arms out against Idoun's dual set of extremely sharp teeth.

Thankfully Caitlin seemed to get the message as well. She was clearly peeved as she ceded the match to Bree; for several worrying seconds her hair floated up as if electrically charged before settling back down.

"Okay, you're good," she said. "Now would you leave so I can go back to sleep?"

* * *

Marshal confirmed all of Bree's suspicions. N had swept through the pokemon league mere hours before her arrival, and that didn't begin to properly evoke his overwhelming force. If Alder hadn't told them about...no, even though Alder did tell his co-workers about N and Reshiram, none of them were remotely prepared to face the truth-blinded boy king and the resurrected legend. Alder's commands were simply to put up as much of a fight as possible, to slow him down. Marshal had given the most resistance, and so his pokemon had received the most punishment. Just like Grimsley's Serperior, Marshal's Throh was burned seriously enough that he was incapable of battling Bree in his state.

His other pokemon weren't that much better either. Though Eve was still singed from her fight with Shauntal's Chandelure, she was still able to swing from the lights illuminating the arena to defeat his Mienshao before the pokemon was able to attack more than a few times. She very nearly took down his Sawk in the same way, but Bert was a bit more sturdy than Lu-Tze was and so managed to defeat Eve with a blindingly-fast jump-kick and karate chop combination.

Those attacks phased harmlessly through Erik, though, and the Chandelure was able to defeat him with a well-placed blast of fire. And then, in retaliation, Marshal's Conkeldurr hefted up a particularly thick log of concrete and smashed Erik with it.

"Erik! Are you okay?"

_Fine,_ he said. _Just sore. Kazumi should be able to take care of this._

"Just what I was thinking," she muttered. "Ready to go, Kazumi?"

Water flaring from her blades, Kazumi swept her arms up to smack Bruce (for that was the Conkeldurr's name) on the wrists and knock him off-balance. Bruce responded by hefting up the broken pillar and aimlessly swinging it. There was absolutely no particular method to his swinging, not even any aim, but if even a corner connected...

Kazumi ducked just in time. She sidestepped and dodged and on one occasion even rolled, all to avoid the slow, inexorable sweep of the concrete.

Pressed close to the ground, she could see Bruce's steps, how the Conkeldurr turned. He swiveled when he turned, a pivoting of the foot that, combined with the bulk of the concrete, left him slightly off-balance for less that a moment.

Which was all the time she needed. In that next flash of time, Kazumi slid her blade between Bruce's foot and the hard floor. And then, all but smirking up at the bemused pokemon with a steadily growing expression of _oh crap _spreading across his face, the Samurott pulled her shell sword up and out.

The thud of the Conkeldurr's collapse rattled the ropes and echoed through the arena. Bree looked up at Marshal. He was smiling.

"Very good," he said. "I can certainly see why Alder put so much faith in you. I hope he's okay. But I need to stay here. You've defeated all of us, right?" When she nodded, he continued, "Then go."

Bree didn't need to be told twice. Marshal's last word had barely left his lips when she tore out of the arena and back to the main gate, up the flights and flights and flights of stairs.

N was facing Alder now. Alder was strong. He'd be able to defeat Reshiram.

Alder was the Champion. He could beat Reshiram.

He'd beat Reshiram and N and smack some sense into him and she wouldn't be forced to summon Zekrom and fight N and quite possibly Ghetsis.

Right?

* * *

A/N: AhahahahaNO. Sorry Bree.

Lots of Discworld and Good Omens references here! Seriously, Terry Pratchett is like a GOD.

Unlike this chapter, which got to be a slogfest and I ended up writing in dungeon bypasses because I was like OH GOD LET THIS END, the next chapters and basically the rest of the story are gonna be...You'll see. I'll just be over here cackling into my laptop.


	33. Can You See The Real Me?

Gaaah, short chapter is short, but believe me when I said I had to split it.

I hope you love this chapter! I certainly did; and look how quickly I finished it.

I really, really hope I made N shine here.

So anyway, please enjoy and, if you want, please tell me what you liked! Let's see if we can get to 500 reviews before the next update!

* * *

Wrong.

Bree's lungs were starting to loudly complain as she raced up the stairs. Yet she pressed on, skipping steps, running as fast as she could up the marble and along the corridor to the back of the opulent room. Broken columns, clawed floors, and scorched walls marked the battle. And at the end of the hallway stood Alder and N.

Except that everything was backward. It was Alder who was supposed to be triumphant, not frozen in shock, sunk to his knees in disbelief. N was supposed to have the sense kicked into him. He wasn't supposed to be the one drawing his rail-thin body upright, giving Alder an ultimately failed attempt at a haughty smirk. Everything was backwards. Everything was wrong.

"It's over, Alder!" N shouted. "It's over! I...I won! Never again will pokemon be made to suffer or be held captive by humans! It's all thanks to my friend, Reshiram! Years ago, you lost one of your pokemon to illness...How long has it been since you fought at your full strength? But...I kinda like that about you."

His voice echoed eerily off the structures in the room. He swayed, needed to take several deep breaths before continuing. "As the new champion, and Reshiram's chosen hero, and the king of Team Plasma, I'll issue this order across Unova: Trainers, free your pokemon!" N didn't look so good. In fact, he looked terrible. His face was as pale as the day that Bree had first met him. He was losing the weight that he was just starting to build onto his too-thin frame. His shirt was rumpled and stained, as if it hadn't been washed for some time. There were dark circles under his eyes, the reminders of several sleepless nights. N was beginning to look like a ghost.

By comparison, Alder was ashen. "Please," he begged, "Don't do this!"

"Shut up!" N shouted. He covered his ears and shook his head. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! There's nothing more for you to say. We fought. I won. That's it. Bree's not here...So..."

And Bree found the strength to move again. "I'm right here! N, you can't do this!"

He whipped around, and now Bree could see that there was also a look in his eyes, a look of simultaneous wildness, triumph, and horror. "Bree, you're here! I mean, uh, I knew you'd be here. I've been waiting. See, look? I did it, I became the champion like I said I would; I'm the hero! And you got the Dark Stone, you actually got the Dark Stone! Uh, I mean just like I thought you would."

Snarling, Bree yanked out the Dark Stone from her bag, holding it in her hand as if it were an actual pokeball and if she pressed a button then Zekrom would appear before her. "You said you wanted to see who the real hero was? Come on, let's go!"

N shook his head. "It's not...This isn't the place. This has to be done right. The dragons need a proper place to battle. And, I want you to...Arise! From the ground! Team Plasma's castle! My home!"

For a moment, there was nothing. And then there was a rumbling, as if an earthquake had struck beneath their feet.

Alder looked out the spacious window. "Bree," he croaked.

Lightning flashed outside; the thunderstorm was building strength, but that wasn't what Alder was talking about. On the hills below, large rectangular patches of green and brown began to slide aside. Twisted steel structures began to rise, replaced themselves with glass and stone. A building was rising from beneath the pokemon league, rising faster and faster.

It was about as large as the pokemon league, and there was certainly more underground. Several dozen people could easily live there in complete isolation and self-sufficiency for years, decades if necessary (how did she know this?).

N was staring out the window with that same expression of horror and joy. A slot on the window of Team Plasma's castle opened, and something black and rectangular rushed towards them. N's eyes widened. In one movement, he grabbed Bree and Alder by their necks and pulled them to the ground with him, shouting, "Get down!"

Above them, the wall exploded. Rubble rained down around them, bounced off their bodies, left small bruises and cuts. There was a horrible sound as the black extensible...thing...crashed into the floor, as if it hadn't done enough damage already. More parts of the wall crumbled, and then it was finished.

They crawled out from under the...staircase, for lack of a better word, that had passed barely a foot above them, coughing and covered in dust. N recovered first, brushing the dust and bits of wall off of his pants while waiting for Alder and Bree to get up.

His voice now had odd hollow harmonics to it, as if his mind had retreated into a corner and curled up into itself. "That's Team Plasma's castle. That's where everything will be decided. Whether pokemon will be liberated from mean people and set free and happy, or if meanie humans will be allowed to keep and abuse their poor pokemon." He smiled, and it was as cracked as the floor he stood on. "And if...when I win, you're gonna be my queen, and we'll change the world." He walked up the stairs and was gone.

The whole time, Bree didn't speak, because she was too stunned to say a word. Instead, she supported a kneeling Alder as Cheren sprinted up the stairs.

He too was stunned silent for several minutes, his jaw uselessly working to say words that wouldn't come. Eventually, he walked over and placed a hand on Alder's shoulder. "Mr. Alder, you're a wreck. It's not befitting for the Champion," he said.

"...You defeated the league to get here. I suppose I have to congratulate you." Alder didn't even turn around.

"Uh," Cheren ran a hand through his hair, "Somehow I did it. It was easier than I thought it would be, but if Hector hadn't evolved...I became stronger because now I understand what I want to do." He turned to his best friend. "Bree, you need to tell N this. Tell him that people and pokemon do grow stronger when they're together. Look at me and my pokemon. Or you and yours. We're living proof."

"You bet I'm going to-wait. What was that about me telling N this?"

Cheren gave a meaningful aside glance to Alder. "Shouldn't I stay with Alder?" The former champion was still staring at the ground, still dumbstruck.

Bree grabbed Cheren by the hand. "Cheren," she said, "You're my best friend. And I don't think N's alone in there. Please, you've got to do this with me."

"I..." He looked back at Alder, who nodded. Cheren's face set, and he nodded as well. "Yes. I'll go."

When they were halfway up the stairs, Alder looked up and said, "I couldn't defeat him. I couldn't show him the wonderful bonds between humans and pokemon. He's the real deal. Reshiram nearly killed Solon; I...I didn't have a chance. Be careful."

With a grim expression, Bree said, "I will." She took Cheren's hand and ran up the stairs.

* * *

Team Plasma's castle was eerily beautiful, with royal blue floor tiles and smooth beige stone walls. Something about it niggled the back of Bree's mind, like a loose thread being picked, but she didn't have time to pull it because she and Cheren were surrounded by the six "sages" of Team Plasma.

"If you make a mistake and do not correct it, that is a second mistake," said one "sage". It was one of the few things the old men said that actually made sense.

"There are not two suns in the sky, nor two sovereigns over people," said another. And back to the blathering nonsense.

"You know," said Cheren, "There's this language, it's called English? Perhaps you've heard of it?"

The "sages" stepped forward. Bree and Cheren stepped back. "Well," said one of them, Bronius by the look of those out-of place placid brown eyes, "N won't like it, but we must preserve his rule. It would ruin Ghetsis' plan, what we've...sacrificed. We'll have to crush you here!"

Snarls of pokemon filled the air, surrounded the two teenagers. There were Scolipedes and Sawks, Druddigons and Darmanitans, Escavalier and Excadrill. There were so many. There were too many.

As the pokemon advanced, Bree and Cheren found themselves pressed back to back. Cheren hissed over his shoulder, "Bree, how many pokemon do you have who are able to battle? I only have Hector and Marina."

"Kaylee," she said, "Maybe Kazumi and Idoun, I don't know." Now the "sages" were closing in as well.

"Is this it?" The tremble of fear was evident in his voice.

"...I don't know." Was Cheren right? Probably. This was it. They were tired. Their pokemon were tired. And these leaders of Team Plasma had too many, and they were too powerful. Bree knew, and Cheren knew as well. They couldn't win. There was no way. This was it, game over. And here and now, they wouldn't be able to press the reset button and try again.

But that didn't mean they had to go quietly. Bree knelt into a battle stance, felt Cheren do the same behind her.

"Ready?"

"Bring it."

Behind them, someone kicked in the door. A stout man with a large cowboy's hat stood in the doorway, the representative of several people behind him. It was Clay.

"Well, will ya look at this? Seems we got here just in the nick of time," he said, addressing the group behind him. "Hey, what does that make us?"

Bianca raced forward with a big grin. She always wanted to say this. "We're the big damn heroes, sir!"

"Ain't we just?" Clay was practically staring the closest "sage" and his pokemon nose to nose at this point; it was obvious who backed off first.

Cheren broke out of the circle. "C-Clay? And Bianca?"

The gym leader of Driftveil laughed. "Ain't just us kid. Charge!" At his command, all the other gym leaders of Unova, except for Chili, Cilan, and Cress, came rushing in with their pokemon.

Neither Bree nor Cheren could speak.

"Sorry we took so long," said Lenora as she commanded her Stoutland to crunch into an Accelegor.

A Mandibuzz was no match for the tag-team of Peanut Butter and Jelly. "Ignoring Team Plasma would be completely irresponsible for us gym leaders," said Elesa in between orders.

"And Bianca told us to come too," said Arty.

Cheren turned to his friend slowly. "...Really?"

"Yes I did!" Bianca's voice was filled with pride. "See, I am useful!"

"I love you so much," he said to Bianca as he ran across the hallway, threw his arms around her, and kissed her full on the mouth.

Bianca closed her eyes and, digging her fingers into his sleek black hair, pressed Cheren (who probably didn't exactly qualify as a "friend" anymore) further into the kiss. Bree's whooping, teasing, delighted catcall could be heard above the growing din of battle.

"Go!" shouted Drayden. "We'll be fine."

"Got it. Come on, Scowlyspecs," she said to her still-blushing friend, taking his left hand because the other was entwined with Bianca's. His flighty friend, (neither flighty nor just a friend anymore, he supposed) turned back to the battle, commanding River to beat up everyone.

Bree and Cheren ran up the wide staircase to the second floor, where the royal blue tile continued to shine and every door in the hallway looked the same.

"It's like a hotel," said Cheren.

Bree ran her hand along the waist-high moldings on the wall. "Yeah," she said absentmindedly. "It kinda does look like a hotel hallway. A really fancy one, but..." She trailed off. Something was seriously bothering her about all this, and not just the whole N and Reshiram deal. It was...something else. Something she couldn't identify, something that hurt her head simply by trying to pick it apart. The doors were locked, and not just the ones in the hallway.

Cheren was eying her; she knew that. "Bree," he said.

Fingers continued to trace the intricate molding. She didn't look up. "What?"

How was he going to put this without sounding oblivious. "You're acting strangely."

She ran her fingers up the wall. "Well, maybe it's because of stress."

Cheren shook his head. "No, Bree. It's more than that, and you know it."

"Maybe," she said as she walked to yet another door and tried yet another doorknob. This door was unlocked. This door opened.

The room was plainer than the hallway outside, but not by much. There was a table, with chairs. There were white cabinets and granite countertops with all sorts of shiny appliances on them. There was a huge freezer, and an even larger refrigerator.

"It's a kitchen," said Bree. Without waiting for Cheren's likely sarcastic response, she dropped to her knees and opened up one of the cabinets.

Can upon can of alphabet soup filled the inside of the cabinet to bursting, rolled out and onto the floor. Slowly, as if in a trance, Bree picked up a can, turned it in her hand to read the label.

"Alphabet soup," she said. "It's my favorite brand...N's too."

Now Cheren was starting to feel uneasy. At least, even more than before. "Bree, how...You've been acting oddly since we came in here. And you seem like you're walking through a dream, as cliche as that sounds. And now...How do you know all this?"

"...I don't."

* * *

"I don't feel anything." Zero looked back at his two siblings. "Not when I look into his room, his world. Nothing..."

It was plain that Theta was just barely restraining the urge to hit him. "What are you, soft? Don't tell me you're getting soft."

Zero frowned. Something had been bothering him about this whole situation, and the fact that it bothered him bothered him as well. He had never had misgivings before, ever. Theta and Epsilon were displeased with him, and so was he. He was the de facto head of the Shadow Triad; he couldn't allow any distractions.

The roots of his...doubts (for the first step was always to admit that you had a problem) lay in Leader's punishment of Epsilon. Epsilon deserved to be punished; even he agreed on that point. So why did the discipline revolt a small part of him?

Perhaps if he vocalized his concerns, it might help. "Do you remember how Leader saved us?"

Theta absentmindedly sharpened her blades. "Of course."

"He took us from a genetic scientist who was going to do...stuff...to us and raised us. Made us into who we are today," said Epsilon, with just a note of pride. He listed a little to one side and titled his head as he spoke, Zero noticed. Though the third and most impulsive member of the Shadow Triad was far to proud to ever admit it, his...punishment...had likely damaged his vision.

Zero held up his hands and said, "I know. But..." He jabbed a finger behind him. "Don't you think that Leader's treatment of N, or how N was selected, is someone reminiscent of that?'

"No," said Epsilon.

Theta looked straight into Zero's yellow eyes. "I am only saying this because I don't want you punished too," she said. "You must stop thinking about this. We are bound to serve Ghetsis; we shall follow him forever. You are making yourself weak and vulnerable, and it is the weak who are the first to die. N is weak, and so were they. It is simply the natural law, and you will find no mercy there."

Closing his eyes, Zero turned away. "I suppose you're right."

"I always am. Come. We must prepare."

Epsilon interrupted, "Can we eat first? I think Leader left meat in the fridge for us."

"Of course," Theta said.

N paid no attention to the conversation held outside his room, because he didn't even know they were there. He was sprawled out on the ground before his pokemon, somewhere between a kneeling and sitting position, running a toy train around the room as he excitedly talked.

"And there's even more different parts of the world than I thought, and there's all sorts of different pokemon! And there's this thing called rain, where water falls from the sky! And when it's cold, it's called snow and it makes little white fluffy flakes. Like the ones Vanilluxe makes when he's happy." The cheerfully painted train ran along a familiar worn-down groove in the cloud print carpet. Behind N, Zorro turned around and pushed an askew block back into its proper place in the tower.

Reshiram watched in silence. N held up his hands. One of them was still closed around the train, and so the toy was brought up in the air with him.

"And, and there were books. Not like the ones in here. There was a book with a mommy Lopunny telling her Buneary son how much she loved him, and there were lots of books with prince charmings and princesses in towers, and something called a true love's kiss."

There was quiet. N pushed the train back and forth for a while before speaking. "I think there's lots of different types of love," he said. "I love you. All of you."

Zorro knelt and embraced his friend. The best thing about being a Zoroark was that now he could finally hug him back. _We love you too. We've always known this._

"You know what else," N said into Zorro's black fur, "The whole true love's kiss thing. That's me. That's me and Bree! And...And she kissed me on the Ferris Wheel. And I'm the king, and she's gonna be the queen, and..." He straightened out. "That means...She loves me! She must love me! Guys, she loves me!" He placed his hands over Reshiram's pure white claws. "Bree loves me! And...I think I might love her too."

Again, silence. Behind the boy king, Zorro tested the silence. _What about Ghetsis?_

Now the silence took on an apprehensive note. N dropped back the the floor; the near-rapturous smile ran away from his face. "Of course Ghetsis loves me," he said to the train. "Why else would he make me king? And he is my...father..."

Other than the pokemon, there were no humans in the spacious, colorful, toy-filled room. How long had it been since there was? N lay curled by the train track, pushing a smaller toy train back and forth in his spindly hand. The other was laced through his tea-green hair. There was no smile on his face, but after a moment his shoulders began to shake.

"Ha. Haha. Who needs a mommy or daddy anyway? A mommy or daddy wouldn't let me be king. Bree, ha, she doesn't have as much love as I have because she only has a mommy! I don't have a mommy or daddy, and I don't need them. I've never ever needed them, because I've got you guys! I don't need a mommy, because I have Anthea and Concordia. And I don't need a daddy, because I have...Ghetsis."

N fell silent. He stopped pushing the train back and forth. The pokemon could see how he now gripped the train, so tightly that his already pale knuckles turned white.

It was a long time before he next spoke, and when he did, it was a whisper. "...It's not fair."

And then a shout. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

N stood up, howling, and threw the toy train across the room. It bounced off the backboard of the basketball hoop and landed lopsided into the net.

He swept up a pile of darts and threw them at the panel. Some stuck. Some bounced off. One lodged itself, quivering, into an art panel made of triangles that N had made when he was first learning geometry and Concordia had put up (Ghetsis was not happy about that but for some reason let it slide). Another one landed in Zorro's arm, pierced the fur and skin, drew blood.

N didn't notice, and even if he did, at the point where he was he probably wouldn't care. Reshiram reached out a wing to help, but Zorro held out a claw.

_Don't, _he said. _Let him burn himself out._

Still screaming, N kicked down the tower, scattering blocks everywhere. He tore down posters, hurled books across the floor. A long-disused music box fell to the ground; the impact reawakened its eerie, fragile tune. He kicked and punched the skateboard half-pipe until his fingernails were torn and his feet hurt and his knuckles came away bloody. Again, N paid no notice to his injuries.

He knocked over an overflowing toy box, sending colorful wood and metal and plastic scattering all over the room. He began ripping apart the carefully constructed train track, yanked up the merrily oblivious train choo-chooing back and forth. Incoherent, childish, directionless rage on his face and throughout every part of him, N held the beloved train up in the air like some parody of a trophy, prepared to dash it to bits against the wall-

-And stopped. Still for a moment, suspended in time. And then he crumpled, like a marionette with its strings cut. N was tall and thin and all angles, so he collapsed in pieces, not all at once and certainly not gracefully. The train dropped back to the track and continued its journey, reversing direction where N had smashed its route.

He curled up as tight as he could go, with his head buried in his hands, his long green hair caped over his shoulders and back. Except for the tinkling music box, the room was silent until N filled it with his gasping, hiccuping sobs.

It was uncontrolled and possibly not even cathartic. It was certainly loud. If crying could sound like screaming, that's what N's sobs sounded like. And it took a long time for N to coherently speak through his tears.

"PLEASE!" he howled to nobody, a cry of sheer desperation. And nobody would hear him, for nobody ever had. All the doors in the castle were soundproofed. "Please!"

Hesitating, Zorro and Reshiram approached N. He was still sobbing. Tears streamed between his fingers.

"...Don't leave me here alone."

* * *

A/N: Everything will become clear in the next chapter. Which I will begin working on tomorrow.

I am so psyched. How about you guys?

Did I do well with N? How about his tantrum?

DUALRIVALSHIPPING.

Thank you all so much for enjoying!

Oh, and here's a bonus: The natures and movesets of each of Bree's pokemon at this point in the game, as I see them, even though it's not always obvious. :P

Kazumi: Brave nature. Moves: Surf, Razor Shell, Ice Beam, Revenge

Kaylee: Jolly nature. Moves: Return, Crunch, Strength/Ice Fang, Wild Charge

Simon: Serious nature. Moves: Rock Slide, Brick Break, X-Scissor, Earthquake

Eve: Naive or Quirky nature. Moves: Rock Slide, Acrobatics, Dragon Claw, Fly

Erik: Modest or Quiet nature. Moves: Flame Burst, Fire Blast, Shadow Ball, Hex

Idoun: Adamant or Rash nature. Moves: Crunch, Dragon Pulse, Work Up, Dragon Rush


	34. All Of Them Reasons To Remember The Name

Short chapter is way, way, way too short but I don't care!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TVTROPE REC VIENNA!

THIS IS IT. Right here, in this chapter. This is the inspiration, the spark, the initial thought that lodged itself into my head in the middle of math class, refused to leave, and grew from there. The stray idea that bloomed into this wonderful, crazy story. The inspiration and the very beginnings of Alphabet Soup are right here, in this chapter.

I AM SO PSYCHED. I don't say this, but please. I want to know what you guys think of all this. I want you to go "I knew it!" or "sdghfdsghdfsf" or both. I hope this was as awesome as it was in my mind. But **please, do NOT spam my reviews.**

Let's go.

* * *

On the next floor of the castle, Cheren realized a potential serious problem in the making. "Wait a minute."

Bree looked back from the door she was testing. This one was locked too, like all the others. But she could detect the faint smell of antiseptic from within. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Cheren fingered the six pokeballs on his belt. "Our pokemon are tired. Your pokemon are tired. How will you successfully defeat N in an exhausted state?"

Closing her eyes but not saying a word, Bree turned around and punched the locked door to the medical supply room. It refused to budge.

"Dammit!" Cheren was right, Bree thought wryly. She was on edge, and it wasn't just because she had to summon Zekrom and pound some sense into N. It felt like Ninjasks were angrily buzzing in her head, tormenting her thoughts and torturing her mind.

Her friend was thankfully free from such torment, though he had forebodings of his own. But Cheren could focus, which was why he saw the door down the hall quickly open and then close-Bree didn't notice until she heard the slam.

"Bree, did you see that?"

"The door? Yeah, I heard that." Without waiting for Cheren's warning, Bree ran to the just-closed door and threw it open.

Two older women, about her mom's age, stared back at the teenaged trainers. Both women had long hair that was tied back, both wore dresses. The woman on the left had waved hair a purple-pink color and clear lavender eyes. The woman on the right was taller; her hair was a rich orange-gold. Her eyes were an enigmatic green-gray, almost the exact shape and shade as N's. Behind them was a table, and behind the table was another door.

Cheren was already backing toward the door. "Bree," he said, "What are you doing? Get out of here before they capture us both!"

None of them moved. Bree stood staring at the two older women before her. "No."

"Bree, have you gone crazy?"

She shook her head. "No, I haven't. Or I've been going crazy the moment I walked in here; it's the same thing at this point. The same way I knew there was alphabet soup in that cupboard. The same feeling I've been having the whole time we've been in this castle. We can trust these two."

With a gulp, Bree stuck out her hand and said, "I'm Bree. My friend over here doesn't want me to tell you his name, so I won't."

The woman with the fuchsia hair was the first to close the gap. "I'm Anthea," she said. "Are you the one N has fallen in love with?"

"Love?" Bree yanked her hand back. Some twisted parody of the emotion, perhaps, would explain his almost stalker-ish tendencies, but...

No. Thinking about it, really thinking about it (didn't she accept the Blitzle necklace?), his obsessive following could be interpreted as concern if the follower didn't know any better. And one thing Bree had learned about N was that he didn't know any better.

So she said, "Yeah, I guess."

"Please," said Anthea, "You and your pokemon need to rest. I can help."

"Bree!" Cheren shouted. "Are you insane? Don't do it!"

This was insane, trusting a flitting thought in her head. But it wasn't flitting, it was growing stronger. From the same part of her mind that knew about the alphabet soup, gave her so much...deja vu, that was the word, and, somehow, the same part of her that knew how to speak to pokemon. That was the part that told her to trust Anthea and...

"Concordia."

The woman with the yellow-orange hair nodded. "Yes." She seemed unperturbed, her eyes widened, and everyone in the room heard the soft but sharp intake of breath before she spoke.

Now Cheren seemed actually alarmed. "Bree? How do you know this?"

"I don't know, but I know I can trust them. Except for Kaylee and Idoun's capsules, Bree dropped the pokeballs into Anthea's hands, saying, "Please do it here. And if you do anything to my pokemon, Kaylee and Idoun will rip you to shreds."

Cheren shook his head. "No thank you."

It was uncommon, but some people possessed the supernatural abilities of pokemon, albeit on a smaller scale. Everybody knew about Sabrina, the psychic gym leader of Saffron. Anthea possessed slight healing ability, like Chansey and Audino. While she healed Bree's pokemon, Concordia told N's story. Though again Bree got the distinct sense that she was deliberately witholding information.

"You're right, Bree. I'm Concordia. I give peace and comfort to N."

Again, Bree looked at the angle of her cheekbones, the way her ears stuck out, the shape and color of her eyes. "You're N's mother." It wasn't a question.

Concordia nodded. She looked as though she was about to cry. "N was separated from people when he was very young, given only the bare minimum of human contact needed to survive.

"Instead, he was brought up with pokemon." Bree's voice was soft.

"Yes," said Concordia. "Pokemon who were betrayed, mistreated, and hurt by bad people...Ghetsis deliberately brought only those poor pokemon closer to N. Touched by their plight, N fell into Ghetsis' trap, and became the pawn he so desired."

A horribly vivid image of a young, crying, N surrounded by nothing but bleeding pokemon flashed across Bree's vision like lightning. She staggered and needed to grip the table to keep her balance. The lights scattered on the varnish like the cube that N always wore.

Menger sponge. She couldn't remember seeing N without it. Menger sponge. Infinite surface area, zero volume.

Concordia continued, "This whole time, he's thought only of pokemon. N's heart is pure and innocent. But there is nothing more beautiful and terrifying than innocence."

"Trainers battle to practice their skills and to grow in experience, but never to hurt their pokemon," Anthea said as she placed the pokeballs back in Bree's hand. "N has realized this deep down in his heart...but he has spent too much painful time in this castle to admit it."

"N's mind is splintering under the strain. The bond with Reshiram is making his hold on sanity even more fragile." Concordia looked into the blue eyes of Bree and Cheren. "You need to hurry."

They did.

Anthea and Concordia looked at each other. A faint smile appeared on both of their faces. So she had been okay...Then he was fine too.

Anthea closed her eyes and started to pray.

Outside, back in the too-clean hallway, Bree and Cheren were silent. Cheren was the first to break the somber tone.

"How could anyone do that?"

* * *

"Gaah!"

Zero held up his hands. Fat lot of good that did when both Bree and Cheren knew that he had blades hidden up his sleeves.

"Stop," he said. "I mean no harm." He spoke carefully, deliberately breathing through his mouth, infinitely thankful that he had eaten prior.

"Yeah right," snapped Bree. "And I suppose you didn't want to hurt me back in Chargestone Cave, or Icirrus."

The (defected?) member of the Shadow Triad turned in silence. He was still hunched over, his feet were still oddly shaped. His yellow eyes were dimmer than the last time they had met. He motioned to a slightly ajar door. "That room is the world that was provided to Lord N...I don't feel anything, even when I go into the room. But perhaps you may feel something."

And just like that, without another word, without even waiting for a reply, he vanished.

Cheren and Bree looked at each other.

"Don't," he said, "You know the Shadow Triad. It's a trap."

Again, Bree was silent. Was listening to her friend, but not really. "I know this place." Her voice was flat, came from somewhere far away. "It's okay." (No, it's not.)

They opened the door and walked inside.

They didn't say anything. What could they say?

The dying tinkle of a fragile music box set the scene. N's world unfolded, before them.

There was no bed. But there a worn-down groove in the carpet. A threadbare blanket and worn out pillow lay rumpled there.

There were no windows, but the carpet was as sky-blue and uniform as a painting. The clouds were uniform and repeating, completely artificial.

There were no big thick grown-up chapter books, like the ones in her room or her friends' rooms, like the once that Cheren began devouring before he hit double-digits. But there were cheery colorful picture books, scattered across the room (no bookcase, none of the standard bedroom furniture). Some had pages ripped out. Almost none had people in them.

There was no computer, no video games, no ipod, no television, no telephone. No electronics, none of that tangle of wires that, to some degree (of course Cheren kept his neat and tidy), occupied every room that Bree had ever seen.

But there were toys. Oh, so many toys. Toy trains, recently played with. Toy boxes, overflowing, spilled out onto the floor. Blocks scattered everywhere. A worn-out stuffed Zorua toy. A plane on a string, swooping overhead in a circle, forever. A colorful, broken, smashed track, the merry oblivious train on it blithely making its way back and forth on what was left. Darts scattered all over the room, some in a dartboard, others in an adjacent art panel.

One had a bit of blood on its tip.

There was a basketball hoop. By it was a half-deflated basketball with _Harmonia_ written on it. There were other, smaller, child-sized basketballs, all deflated and carefully stacked one on top of the other, an orange rubber pyramid.

Smaller hands becoming bigger hands, but never becoming older hands.

There was hair of all lengths and shades, mostly black and green, on the floor and scratches on the walls. The skateboard half-pipe in the back of the room was covered in pokemon scratches. There was blood on it, recently drawn and barely dried.

Toys everywhere, some very new, all of them used and loved. A colorful nursery, but too clinical to have been assembled with love and care. A colorful nursery, for an adult. A child's paradise, but a paradise was so because the child could leave the playroom and fall asleep in his parents' arms when he was done playing. That was the point. It ended. If this were a true child's paradise and not some twisted perversion of the idea, then he wouldn't have been forced to stay here for his entire life, behind a locked door, left with everything and nothing.

Never play with a jack-in-the-box, especially at night.

Cheren stood transfixed in horror. Behind him, Bree threw up.

Cheren was always very in control of his emotions. But looking at the twisted child's paradise before him made him want to join Bree and also purge the contents of his stomach until only bile remained.

Bree wiped her sour-smelling mouth. Some hero she looked, supporting herself on the wall, covered in scratches and dust, with rubble crumbs in her hair and a bit of vomit on the corner of her mouth. Heroes always looked perfect, muscles rippling and hair shining and clothes neat and tidy, even when they've been through hell. They never talked about the tension wound like a coil, the horror and forebodings creeping through their nerves like poison. Real heroes didn't worry about looking like they'd taken a dirt bath, since they had much more pressing things to worry about, like getting out of alive.

Then again, it wasn't as if N was doing much better.

...N.

Bree laid her hand on the train. "Now I understand." She turned, heard a grunt, thump, and creak behind her. "Cheren, it's what we thought. N did nothing. It...Ghetsis did this. Ghetsis did this to him. He's been used his whole life. He's never known anything else. I'm gonna...I'm gonna have to beat N, I know, but you bet I'm gonna kick Ghetsis' ass too."

No response. "...Cheren?"

He wasn't there. There was a faint glow coming from the side of the room. Creeping closer, Bree could see that it was behind a fake door.

The glow came from a computer screen. Judging from the accumulation of dust by the molding on the floor, this secret entrance probably hadn't been used for a long time, if ever. N may not have even known it was there. And even if he had, she had seen him fumble with the Xtransceiver. He barely knew how to work electronics.

But Cheren knew. He had too received a gift of sorts from Team Plasma, she now remembered, flipping the stone Blitzle charm between her fingers. Judging by how stiffly he held his legs in the chair, by the sharp gasp, he had finally been able to unwrap it.

She wasn't expecting him to freeze. She wasn't expecting his words to be choked with horror.

"...Bree? I think you may want to see this."

* * *

Cheren was the smart one, almost all superego. Calm, cool, collected to the point of being uptight, perfectionist, with an undertone of tension, but always in control.

So seeing Cheren frozen, horrified, trembling in his seat, seeing her best friend with all the color drained from his face to be replaced by a faint but definite tinge of green, filled Bree with dread.

What could had thrown him so badly?

"Bree," he said, and the note of hysteria in his voice was plain for anyone to hear, "I got the flash drive open. And..." With two clicks, he brought up the first document. It was a simply designed table:

_Rood: H(f), K(m)_

_Bronius: B(f), L(m)_

_Giallo: E(f), C(m)_

_Ryoku: I(f), F(m)_

_Gorm: G(f), M(m)_

_Zinzolin: J(f), A(m)_

_Ghetsis: D(f), N(m)_

Growing trepedation welling inside her, but Bree pushed it down. Instead she settled for slightly befuddled blankness.

But Cheren knew her. He could see the way her hands clenched themselves, the way her eyes flitted back and forth, the way her jaw was set. He himself was on the brink of panic. What this file...

He pulled up another one of the minimized files. There were a couple more. He hadn't fully gone through the last one yet.

"Cheren," Bree said, "Why are you doing this?" Her voice was shrill, even frenzied.

The young man didn't answer, but he knew why. Because at heart he was a scientist, an intellectual. He was driven by a thirst for knowledge as much as power, and he needed to learn the truth.

No matter how horrible it was. No matter how much it hurt.

They skimmed the files, because it was too much to read in-depth.

_...Original B embryo found to have Down's Syndrome and aborted. Successful reimplantation occurred fourteen weeks after initial abortion..._

_...F born with congenital heart disease. Terminated..._

_...Neither C nor J have inherited Anthea's healing ability..._

_...Introduce infants to abused pokemon in stages, to prevent injury..._

_...A, C, D, E, H, I, M found to have profoundly mentally and socially retarded growth rates. Terminated..._

_...Remember, complete isolation will counteract our goal. The lettered subjects must be given some human interaction, enough to learn how to walk and talk..._

_...One hour of group interaction with the other infants every other day should suffice..._

_...B, G, J, K, L, N found to be able to speak the language of pokemon. N is most proficient..._

_...Genetic samples taken..._

_...Begin training of the Pawniard-spliced humans. Individually they are known as Zero (male), Theta (female), and Epsilon (male). Collectively they are known as the Shadow Triad. Promote group loyalty and unquestioning obedience to Ghetsis..._

_...Please remember that, unlike other steel-types, Pawniards and Bisharps get their iron from fresh blood and raw meat..._

_...Informed Lettered of their role to play as the next "hero" of Unova. N is most recipient to ideas..._

_...G terminated. LETTERED MUST REMAIN UNAWARE OF TRUE CAUSE!..._

_...N selected as the face of Team Plasma and the one to be bonded to the Unovan legend. B, J, K, L terminated..._

"Bree, don't you see?" He ripped her hands from her eyes, held them, trembling, in his. "It's even worse than the room! N's not a name; it's a designation! There were thirteen others before him, A through M! And what happened to them..."

Neither of them spoke. The roar of a maddened Hydreigon played loudly enough in their minds that the insane dragon might as well have been standing next to them.

All for Ghetsis. All for Ghetsis and his twisted, fucked up plan.

Cheren looked at Bree, at his best friend with the revulsion on her face and her fists clenched. With the bite scars hidden under her wristbands and the seared lungs tucked away inside her ribcage and the fog of amnesia clouding her memories and mind.

A horrible thought struck him. Or maybe he had suspected for a while, but only now allowed himself to acknowledge it.

Perhaps Bree had always known, but hid it away to protect herself.

He pulled up the last, untouched file, and began clicking on folders. He started from the bottom.

The younger N was so much more innocent and carefree, smiling as he cradled a bandaged Zorua in his arms. His hair was long in the picture too, and his menger sponge was hanging around his neck. His green-gray eyes were wide and curious.

L was solemn. His shaggy brown hair went down to the nape of his neck and stuck out everywhere. His equally brown eyes were placid and unassuming. He seemed much more relaxed than N was, even if the pokemon he was given to personally care for had much more obvious injuries than N's Zorua (Zorro) had sustained.

L's Sandile was missing the tip of his tail.

Bree and Cheren looked at each other. Neither dared to speak a word. Neither dared to breathe. Quickly, he clicked up.

K's baby teeth were bared in what was ultimately an adorable attempt at a snarl. His bright red shock of hair seemed to stick straight up. His Klink hid behind him, afraid of the camera.

J...J clutched her Petilil close, as if the pokemon would vanish if she slackened her grip. Her lavender eyes remained fixed to the camera lens and her bright blond hair fell over her face and around her ears. She was glancing over her shoulder.

She looked so much like a younger Bianca at first glance that it would be easy to briefly mistake the two.

"Bree," Cheren said quietly, "How did you introduce yourself to Bianca again?"

Bree didn't answer. Her head was filled with roaring and terror as Cheren clicked on the last folder.

Neither said anything, because nothing needed to be said.

Nothing could be said.

The last girl had long flowing waved hair the color of dark chocolate and bright blue eyes and an all too familiar crooked smile. She was petting a Blitzle, a Blitzle that Cheren knew had died several years ago. Her hair wasn't tied back and she had no cap and her face was too chubby but Cheren would recognize that girl anywhere, because he first met her ten years ago and she was sitting next to him right now with her mouth gaping open and her breath coming in short, panicked wheezes.

The smiling visage of B, the lost little girl, stared into the horrified faces of Cheren Shiro and Bree White.

Bree White.

Bree.

B.

* * *

A/N: AHAHAHAHAH!

That's right, boys and girls! THE TWIST! (Which some of you may have seen coming) I subscribe to A through M!

N. A designation. You can't help but wonder...What the hell happened to A through M?

...

AHAHAHAH! And not just that, but right here! All the incongruencies? The gaps in Bree's memory?

She. Is. B.


	35. Did I Find You, Or You Find Me?

...Wow. That was a **lot** of reviews. Thank you all so much! Though Pokegirl, could you please stop spamming anonymous reviews? I know you're eager and I appreciate that, but it was getting a bit annoying after a while.

Anyway, this chapter is nowhere near the awesome and epic and ASDFDGHFDSKJ of the last chapter, but we've got to move on! So please, enjoy! Even though it's not as good...

* * *

_B hadn't seen J or K or L or N for a few meals. For a longer time than before, she didn't know how much longer, it was only her and Blitzle and the stacks of colorful blocks._

_Which was fine, but she kinda missed the other people. And they didn't have cold hands like Ghetsis. J was always fun to play with. So were the boys, even if K liked to knock things over and L didn't talk much and N spent a lot of time playing with his Zorro and numbers. _

_Now one of the sages was opening her door and taking her by the hand. The ball she was playing with was left on the floor. B had just woken up, so she had to squint to see who it was. _

_"Bronius? What is it?"_

_The sage looked at her, then quickly turned away. _

_Blitzle looked up from under the toy tent. _B, where are you going?

_B tugged her hand. It was smaller than the sage's, and the little girl was worried that he wouldn't notice. So she said, "Bronius, can I take Blitzle with me?"_

_He didn't answer until they were out in the hallway, and when he did, his voice was thick. "No, B."_

_They walked for a while. Then Bronius opened a door and all but pushed her inside. _

_The room was clean and white and had a metal table and white cabinets and a sharp smell that she didn't know the name of. There were bottles of stuff and needles on the counter._

_B began to whimper. "Why can't I bring Blitzle and hold him when I get the shots? You always let me do that."_

_But Bronius was gone. If B had strained, she could have heard footsteps echoing in the hallway, but she didn't._

_Ghetsis was there. He was smiling as he put B on the examination table. Obediently, B opened her mouth. "Ahh."_

_A frown. "No, B." He picked up a needle. It was large. The fluid inside was pink, not clear. _

_"Not enough for both," he muttered. "Doesn't matter; I just need to knock them down."_

_Roughly, Ghetsis yanked out her arm. He ignored B's whimpering as he slid the needle directly into her vein. _

_It stung more than the other shots did, even though Ghetsis was never gentle. And almost immediately, B felt funny. Barely a minute after Ghetsis had removed the needle, she felt woozy. The room was spinning and it was hard to keep her head up, hard to stay awake._

_It was hard to breathe. _

_B fell over. Her head slammed into the side of the metal table, but she didn't notice. Ghetsis didn't care._

_Her vision was getting fuzzy and dark around the edges, but B was facing the door, and so saw Bronius open it and drag in L._

_It was hard to stay awake, but B heard L scream, saw him kick and punch and flail against Bronius (who seemed to take it, like how J would leave Petilil alone when she got scared and lashed out), saw Ghetsis run over to the screaming boy._

_Saw him ram the needle into L's chest as far as it could go._

_L twitched and gasped, his eyes bugged out and his mouth contorted into a silent scream. The needle audibly cracked against his breastbone, stopping the rest of the pink fluid from going in. Then he went limp._

_Ghetsis closed the door hard. B was vaguely aware of him grabbing L by his arm and her by her long hair (it hurt, but some distant place far away and she couldn't do anything about it) and tossing them into a small dark room._

_There was another person in there. It was dark, with the only light from a tiny window somewhere and that light was dark, and B couldn't move, but she saw a bit of yellow. _

_She tried to speak but all that came out was a tiny groan. J was asleep. It looked uncomfortable, how she was sleeping with her head and arm thrown back and her leg under herself like that._

_B was getting scared now. It was getting harder and harder to stay awake, even when three roars cut through the growing haze in her mind, sliced down on J and spatted blood on her feet._

_Panic took hold, but B couldn't move, not even when the two hand-heads of the bloodthirsty dragon gripped her wrists and bit down, tearing through flesh and muscle and blood vessels like wet tissue. Not even when the pain sliced through the pink drug and blood dripped from her wrists onto the ground. Not even when hot stinking saliva dribbled onto her chin and soaked into her torn shirt. _

_Not even when the Hydreigon bent down as if reaching out to kiss her, and instead opened its foul mouth over hers and seared her lungs from the inside out. _

_She spasmed and twitched just as L did just before, and the Hydreigon shuddered with her. Both mouths opened and she fell to the ground. The dragon followed._

_Yellow sparks flashed and danced along striped hide and down a jagged horn, shooting off the tip and into a small wound in the Hydreigon's flank. The paralyzed dragon struggled to move, which gave just enough time for four women to run in._

_It hurt so much. She couldn't move, it hurt to breathe. It would be so much easier to just give into the creeping darkness and make the hurting stop..._

_Warm hands cradled her, and electric pain danced up her foot and into her slowing heart._

_Pain again, gradually becoming unbearable as the sleepiness began to go away. So much pain, every time she tried to breathe._

_B whimpered in her mother's arms as the older woman brushed her daughter's hair and said, "It'll be okay, I promise."_

_Behind her, the faint sound of crying. And someone saying, "Anthea, I'm so sorry."_

_And beside her, another woman saying, "L's alive. Barely."_

_The woman holding her said, "We'll be fine if we go now. Cover for us."_

_B could only make out bits and pieces. The words were disjointed, fading in and out. They weren't important to her. All that was important was making the pain stop._

_There was more talking that B didn't care about, and then weak roars getting stronger, which she did._

_There was movement; every bump and jostle caused B to faintly cry with pain and her...mommy...to cry for some other reason. The dark changed, became...less dark, more blue. Getting bluer. The air grew cleaner around her, less closed in, less stale. Through squinted eyes, she could see green things...grass. And bigger green and brown things. Trees. Then the dark (getting lighter by the second) blue above was sky._

_It was like the garden behind the castle. But so much bigger. _

_It was beautiful._

_The last thing B saw before she surrendered to the darkness was bright pink and flaming orange streaking the lightening sky as the sun began its ascent._

* * *

The first thing Bree noticed was a pair of hands holding hers, slimmer and stronger than back then (memories unleashed, the dam blown to bits), but protective and caring all the same.

The second thing she noticed was cold water splashed in her face.

The computer screen sat impassively flickering above, its glow a judgment, and it was then that Bree realized that she had collapsed. Cheren's face was worried and close to hers, and it was then that Bree noticed that he was the one holding her.

Then where did the water come from?

Kazumi's voice rumbled in, deep and soothing, from beside her. _Bree, are you okay?_

Oh, that's where.

Her pokemon were all around her, Cheren was holding her. Though varied, the base expressions on their faces were all the same.

They knew.

Bree-B-curled into herself, feeling the sudden weight somehow slip off her back and yet press down even harder. At once, she felt Cheren and all her pokemon surround her, offering words of comfort that failed to quell the horror in her head.

Bree. B. L and Lawrence, she should have figured it out so long ago. J, Jay, did it really matter? K and his Klink. Bronius with his guilt, and too much of a fucking coward to do anything about it, just offering up his children to Ghetsis' altar. N standing all alone. Alphabet soup, and it swirled in her head.

And her. The failed queen of Team Plasma. The one who should have died ten years ago, but couldn't even manage to pull that one off (oh, but she came so close, especially in the first month after, when memories vanished like smoke to preserve the rest of her mind). Well, now she was ready to take back the castle, with the Dark Stone in her bag and six other pokemon by her side, and her memories now returned to her as well.

Not the best weapons, not by a long shot, but Bree could make do with them. She always had.

Simon reached out a claw. _Do you need some help?_

Yeah. Bree smiled as she accepted the offer. She'd be okay.

Shaking, she stood. Her breath still came ragged (and had it ever truly been normal since the Hydreigon...She still couldn't finish that sentence), but her eyes blazed.

Cheren had been clearly trying to say something for a while, but it was now that he spit it out. "You're not the hero because Ghetsis tried to make you one," he said.

Bree looked up from Kaylee, her hand still scratching behind the Stoutland's ears. "Hm?"

He sighed, but it wasn't one of exasperation, not entirely. "Exactly what I meant. You're not going to summon Zekrom and be the true hero because that abomination tried to raise you that way. You're going to summon Zekrom and be the true hero because you're going to make it be that way."

Idoun was quiet through all this, but now she spoke. _A Hydreigon tried to eat you?_

"Yeah." Bree peeled the sweatbands off her wrists. The bite scars were visible even in the rectangular light of the computer. The two heads of Idoun turned to each other and nodded.

Bright light, so bright that Bree had to shield her eyes. And when it vanished, three heads looked down where two heads looked up just moments before.

Fear and panic began to spark in her brain, but quieted down when Idoun said, _Another Hydreigon? This should be fun._

And the fear vanished when Idoun knocked her heads against the molding above the door. All three of them.

Bree took another, more critical look at her Zweilous-now her very own Hydreigon. The evolution had been flawless, the dragon's heads reunited in apparent harmony. But the evolutionary changes were massive, and it showed. Idoun seemed clueless on how to operate her new body. The heads on the ends of her arms flapped open and closed without any coordination; her wings, for lack of a better term, flapped out of sync and caused her to list dangerously to the side. And that didn't begin to mention her eyes, or the sudden appearance thereof. Idoun's three heads whipped back and forth, snapping out at anything that seemed to be close, which was rather different than what actually was close. She had no sense of depth perception, shapes, colors, or anything that anyone with sight would take for granted.

Cheren ducked under a table. "Bree, Idoun has no idea how to properly use her new form. She can't fight effectively in this state."

Much as it pained her to admit it, Cheren was right. "Idoun, stay here."

Idoun looked at her trainer-really looked, for the first time, with three sets of black eyes and violet irises. _What?_

"Idoun, look at yourself. You're beautiful, but you don't know how to fly or use your eyes just yet. If you fight N in this state, you're just going to hurt yourself. Please."

_Bree, I-_

"No, Idoun. You stay right here. Okay? Once you get used to your new body, you can join me. That'll give N and Ghetsis a nasty shock. And now you'll be able to see it," Bree said with a smirk.

Idoun grumbled but appeared mollified by the chance to be such an inspiration of terror. _Fine._

"I'll stay here too," said Cheren. "I'm going to see if I can remove the virus that's embedded in the flash drive. I have utmost confidence in my abilities, but it will take some time. I'll meet with you later, okay?"

"Okay." Withdrawing her pokemon, Bree turned to leave but was stopped by Cheren's voice.

"And Bree? ...You've never been B. You've never been reduced to a letter. Not to me, or Bianca. Not to your mom or Professor Juniper. Not to the gym leaders. Not to N. Not to anyone who's ever known you."

A faint smile crossed Bree's face. "Thanks, Cheren." And then she was out the door, out the nightmarish room, and gone.

Idoun snarled to the air. Stupid air, foolish gravity, it was useless now that she could fly! Eve had said that she could spin through the sky; well now it was time to show Bree that her Hydreigon was just as adept and acrobatic as a fragile Archeops. But first, this wonderful new ability of sight, even if everything was fuzzy and blobs and strange.

First, to test out how far away things were. Idoun flew over to the halfpipe, studied its strange shape, curving and sharp at the same time, tested how it felt under her head-hands. And then tried to attack it.

Within minutes she had reduced the halfpipe to twisted metal and scrapwood. Idoun flew over the pile of rubble, at once roaring and laughing in triumph, at her newfound power.

And then she stopped, as she realized what the biggest difference was. For the first time since evolving so long ago, there were no longer two heads, two voices, two personalities arguing and fighting forever. Instead, there was one. Aggressive, violent, but one.

Finally, Idoun was at peace.

* * *

"N!" Bree's voice echoed down the hallways. They were all the same, but it didn't matter. She knew her way around now. And she knew that N would be at the very top of the castle. Some things had to be done right. "N!"

N was sitting in his throne, at the far end of a long hall with a red carpet down the middle and shallow pools along the sides. Stained glass framed his features and showed lightning flashing in the distance, getting closer by the moment.

The boy king seemed serene in his throne, in his chosen place, but Bree knew better.

Because it could have just as easily been her in the throne, with her head filled with lies and her heart manipulated for another's selfish desires and her soul bonded to an ancient legend wrenched from its sleep. And it could have just as easily been N, or Lawrence, or Cheren, or Bianca, or someone else facing her down now in her place, ready to show the real truth.

Or nobody at all.

The thought-the might have been-of her being B, the Queen of Team Plasma, instead of Bree White of Nuvema, with all that the title implied (and there was oh so much to imply) was enough to make her stumble.

Some time ago, perhaps even yesterday, N would have noticed. He would have run over to Bree, asking if she was okay. He would have shown concern. He would have showed that he cared.

The N before her twitched as Bree caught herself, but still sat hunched over, curled into himself, locked away in his mind where he would be safe.

"I desire a world for pokemon, and pokemon alone." He didn't raise his head. "I will separate pokemon from people, so my friends can gain their original power."

Bree, on the other hand, crouched, ready to strike. "Oh yeah? Well, then what about you? What about your pokemon? What about Zorro?"

There! A reaction! N stood up and walked to Bree, closing the gap between them. Even at a distance, she could see how weakly he clung to sanity. "It's time to settle this once and for all! My determination is absolute! I'll prove the value of my beliefs even if it means my friends get hurt!"

What had happened to N? "N, you've got to listen to me! Ghetsis, he-"

"HE LOVES ME!" N's cry echoed through the chamber and off in the distance.

Neither moved. N stood hunched over, his breathing exaggerated and erratic. A dark shadow swooped in front of the clouds outside the far-off window.

N spoke first. "If you're as determined as I am, then prove it."

Prove it? That would be easy. Digging into her bag, Bree thrust the Dark Stone into N's face. "Ha!"

Nothing happened.

"Huh?" This...Where was Zekrom? What was going on? What had she done wrong?

"...Zekrom isn't responding. You...weren't recognized as the hero? How...disappointing." N didn't sound disappointed. He sounded hurt. He sounded betrayed. His lip quivered, his voice cracked. "I...liked you a...little."

Bree stood staring at the stone, willing it to come to life and for Zekrom to appear and make everything right. Though she did not know it, N was doing the same.

"I thought you were a trainer who cares for pokemon. But...I was wrong." N didn't sound convinced, but he sounded like he was trying to convince himself. Suddenly, his hands shot out to grab Bree by the shoulders. He looked down into her eyes and she could see them quiver.

"N! Get off of me!"

"Bree, you have two choices! Challenge me to a fight you can't win and be by my side when you lose, or surrender and be by my side when I create a world where pokemon are free of people!"

Snarling, Bree threw N's hands off her shoulders and stepped back, clutching Kazumi's pokeball in her hand. There was no way she could beat Reshiram, but like hell was she going down without a fight.

To her surprise, N smiled. A genuine one, not a too-wide grin that shattered when it reached his eyes. "That's the Bree I know. That I...love."

Bree's eyes widened, and she nearly dropped the pokeball. To hear it from Anthea and Concordia was one thing, but from N himself?

But there was no time, especially when N's eyes blazed with that foreign fire and he held up his bony hand. "I...Bree, no! I've got to do this! Reshiram! Come to me!"

Again, just as it did in the League, the back wall exploded inward. Rubble scored the columns and splashed into the shallow pools as Reshiram burst through the gaping jagged hole where the throne was just moments before (that plush chair was now lying forgotten to the side), its roar shaking the very foundations of the castle. Reshiram landed behind N, its pure whiteness a reverse silhouette, and easily craned its neck over its human to snarl in Bree's face.

The next thing she noticed was intense, unbearable heat as Reshiram again went into overdrive. Bree's vision turned orange as spiraling flame shot out of the dragon to fill the room. The pools of water hissed to steam, and an acrid smell filled the air. The heat smoldered her hair, singed her eyebrows, scorched off all the fine hair from her arms.

And thought it seemed impossible, the room grew hotter. Mere discomfort turned to actual pain as the flames shot higher, and even N, who remained seemingly unmarked by Reshiram's boast, fell to his knees.

At N's collapse, Reshiram stopped, leaned over him and stared at Bree with a seemingly impassive look. Except for the curled lips exposing wickedly serrated teeth.

Somehow, Bree was still holding the Dark Stone, even though it felt like she was holding red-hot iron. She wouldn't let go because she couldn't let go; it was as if the object was fused to her skin.

Lightning clawed its way out of the stone and up her arms and into her heart. Bree shrieked in pain and threw the source away from her. The Dark Stone hung suspended in the air, long after gravity should have dragged it back down.

N stood up, following Bree's gaze, his face rapturous. "Your Dark Stone...No, Zekrom is..."

It ballooned outward, audibly growing exponentially by the second, visibly sucking in air, morphing into a curled-up creature that gently unfurled itself and touched the ground.

And then roared, a deep guttural growl that was so much rougher than Reshiram's. Zekrom's internal generator whirred to life, sending blue electricity glowing down its tail and crackling along its hide, spreading outward. A rush of lightning, a whiff of ozone, a flash of the most intense blue, and it was gone, leaving nothing but charged air and static cling. Zekrom growled softly, and now Bree could get a close look at the second legend.

Compared to the alabaster Reshiram, Zekrom was nearly invisible in the dark of the castle. Only the intense red of his eye and the too-dark shadow that its outline made indicated the pokemon's presence. Its wings jutted out from his back, its claws were shielded by long plates of thick black scales. At first glance Zekrom, though a deep black, darker than the ink of Cheren's hair, was duller and less uniform than Reshiram, and its vaguely demonic appearance did not help matters. But a second glance told so much more. Here, brushstrokes of the darkest brown. There, hints of ultraviolet and the faintest touch of blue. And there, the deepest darkest black, so intensely black that not even light could seem to escape its grasp.

Zekrom truly was the color of midnight, every midnight that ever was.

And though Zekrom was cut from night and darkness, it seemed to be more rich, more vibrant, more alive than Reshiram with the bleached out feathers and watery irises could ever be.

N gazed with awe, and pure joy. Bree's heart swelled with pride.

"Reshiram and Zekrom. Complete opposites, yet the same." Bree couldn't help but smile ironically. Poor N didn't know just how right he was by that statement.

The boy king, the manchild, N Harmonia ran forward, past the two dragons, and hugged Bree. "You really are a hero too," he said into her jacket.

Bree said nothing. Suddenly aware of his actions, N blushed and stepped back.

"Bree, Zekrom is challenging you. You need to bond with it. Make it your friend and ally! Then face me! Are you ready?"

* * *

A/N: Yes, Bree is B, Lawrence is L, and Bronius is their dad.

Euthanasia fluid is generally pink...

Yep, Idoun evolved. But think about it. Think about the massive changes in her body. Idoun needs to get used to her new shape, and until she does, she's not an asset but a liability.

I hope I described Zekrom well...

There are two chapters left, everyone. Just two. Wow. Hah...


	36. The Slaves Of A Phony Leader

*Wipes brow* Phew! Finally! And ugggghhh, this was so much more epic in my head than it turned out on paper. But anyway! I think it's okay, and I really really hope you like it too. So please, read and enjoy.

Warning: This one is violent.

* * *

Bree wasn't too sure what to expect from the bonding. Maybe it would be the feeling of another presence in her mind, like the thought-speech of psychic types. Or maybe she would just have an especially close connection to Zekrom. But it was also possible that she wouldn't feel anything from the bonding at all.

She wasn't expecting it to hurt.

The moment her hand touched smooth black scales, a bolt of lightning shot up Bree's arm. She screamed as her body was seized by electricity, much more than Eric had ever zapped her with. She tried to withdraw her hand, but it was fixed there on Zekrom's hide. Bree felt the lightning work its way through her body, playing hopscotch with her heart, paralyzing every muscle and driving every nerve haywire. She saw spots in her vision. She tasted metal on her tongue.

Zekrom looked to her and said, _Bree._

When it finished, just as quickly as it started, Bree toppled over backwards, completely drained.

N caught her. He placed a small bottle of water that he had had in his pocket to her lips. "It's okay," he said. "It hurt for me too. Water made me feel better."

Too drained to protest at the moment, Bree drank and did indeed feel better. She knew, without being told, that N had felt just as intense a pain at the bonding as she did. Except that instead of lightning, N had felt as if he was being burned up from the inside out. Instead of feeling as if he was being electrocuted, he had felt as if he had been set on fire, felt-as if it were actually happening-his skin scorch and his organs melt and his blood boil away.

And unlike her, he had been forced to endure it alone.

But N was supposed to be fighting her, not helping her. "Why, N?"

He stepped back quickly, shielding himself in Reshiram's shadow. "Because...it's not fair to fight a weakened opponent," he lied.

He raised his hand in the air, and Reshiram roared in response. "Come on, Bree!"

Zekrom roared, its tail flashing blue. It looked to its trainer. _We were once the same. Must we fight?_

Much to Bree's surprise, it was Reshiram who responded first. _I don't want to either._

_But we must._

The two dragons charged each other, going faster and faster, their mouths bared in snarls. Fire and lightning crashed together, sending small sparks and glowing embers shooting outwards. When the legends parted, one was wreathed in lightning and the other had a halo of flame.

Reshiram and Zekrom rose into the air, circled and rammed each other again and again. Each time the lightning and flames surrounding them grew until the dragons were completely covered by their respective elements.

And still they showed no sign of stopping. The only sounds filling the large long room were crackling sparks and the rush of flame. N yelped and slapped away a few embers that had landed on his shirt, but not before they burned small dark holes into the rumpled white fabric.

The room grew hotter and the two pokemon still kept attacking each other. Across the room, N was visibly panting. Bree didn't feel much better; she felt woozy and weak-kneed, as if she was about to faint. That draining feeling only accelerated as the battle raged and the floor cracked around them. Suddenly, she realized what the cause might be.

"N!" she shouted. He had just gasped and fallen to his knees, and she knew that she would soon join him on the crumbling ground. "You've got to call off Reshiram! They're sapping energy from us and I don't even know if they realize this! They can't stop!"

"No!" N staggered to his feet. "We've...Got to do this..."

"They'll kill us, N. They're too strong. They'll destroy the whole castle." Above them, the loudest crash yet as the two dragons smashed into each other, sending down a shower of rubble and shattering what was left of the window.

A pillar fell beside them, and still the dragons roared. N paled, or maybe it was just that Reshiram continued to inadvertently drain his life (Bree didn't look down at her hands, but she knew that if she did, she would be able to see every single tendon and vein).

"Fine then," she said, "Zekrom!"

Nothing happened. Zekrom let out the loudest roar yet and slammed into what Bree saw through the flames was Reshiram's chest. N too clutched his chest with a wince. He stood hunched over, supporting himself on the wall, sweat beading from his brow. "O-okay. Reshiram! Stop!"

The heat was unbearable, until both Bree and N shouted, "STOP!"

Like a light switch being clicked, both legendary pokemon abruptly stopped their attacks, remaining suspended in the air as their auras died down.

Both heroes stood, slowly getting their breath back. Bree recovered first, though Zekrom was more visibly battered than its counterpart.

Maybe now was the time to talk some reason into him. "N, you've got to listen to me!"

But he wouldn't listen. "No! I don't want to hear your stupid reasons about why meanie humans should hurt my friends! I'm right! Right! I'm the one who knows the truth!"

"N, this isn't about your misguided ideas!" There was so much she could say about that, but it was clear from N's frenzied state that it would only make matters worse. "I'm talking about you now. I'm talking about the other kids with letters!"

N froze. "I don't know what you're talking about."

A lie, and a bad one at that. So Bree pressed on. It was obvious that Ghetsis would have done everything he could, short of actual brain damage (and she wasn't even too sure about that) to make sure that N forgot. But how much did he remember?

"N...The lettered children are real. The ones who also lived in the castle, who also got pokemon, who were also in competition to be the puppet leaders of Team Plasma."

He shook his head. "They're made up. I made them up. Imaginary people friends. Ghetsis told me so."

"Well, that's another lie that Ghetsis told you, because I'm B!"

N actually stopped at that, standing like a Deerling caught in the headlights of a moving car. He visibly twitched, and for a moment Bree thought that she had gotten through.

That moment was ruined when N threw out his next pokemon, shouting, "Archeops! She thinks she's got a good bond with her pokemon? I'm the hero! I'm the only one! There wasn't a B or a J or a K or an L or any others! Just me!"

He was lying, desperate, and they both knew it. "Eve!"

N's Archeops was larger and stronger than Eve, but she was faster and more agile. Again and again Archeops tried to catch his foe in his claws and dash her against the rocky rubble, but each time Eve managed to spiral out of the way just in time. She buffeted him with wings and claws, yet only left small marks and ruffled feathers.

But though Eve was both quick and powerful, her defenses and endurance was abysmal at best. Ducking and diving and dodging and attacking with all her might-she was tiring, and fast.

The male Archeops was tiring too, and this was most apparent when, as he finally snatched up Eve and dove down to the rocks, one claw slipped.

"Eve! Now!"

As Archeops rushed to the rubble, Eve twisted her body, freeing her wings and digging her own claws into her foe's torso and tail. Both pokemon crashed into the rubble, but N's Archeops was at the bottom and took the brunt of the hit. He was immediately knocked out.

Eve wasn't doing much better, though, so when N shouted and sent out Vanilluxe, the Archeops just gave her trainer a pitying glance.

"Eve, good job. Erik! Let's show N how much you've grown!"

At the very sight of Erik's pluming violet flame, Vanilluxe screamed and hid, cowering, behind N's legs. He scowled and pushed out the Vanilluxe, who trembled and whimpered in sight of the fires.

"N, what are you doing?" Bree said in disbelief. "Look at your pokemon, he's terrified! Why are you making him do this? Aren't they your friends?"

That snapped N out of it. Abruptly, he knelt and hugged his pokemon, cradling the trembling creature in his arms. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said to Vanilluxe. The pokemon nodded and pressed both his heads against N's chest.

N seemed so distracted. She knew that he was feeling the same buzzing knotting foreboding that she had felt right before seeing that list. So she pressed on. "Please, don't you remember? Me and my Blitzle? J's Petilil had never seen the sun? I know Ghetsis gave you a Zorua!"

Again, he froze; again, Bree began to faintly hope that she might have gotten through...

"Carracosta!"

So much for that. "Kaylee!"

Charged ions still filled the air; the moment that Kaylee materialized, they collected on her fur and made it crackle with static. Electricity making her thick coat bristle and stand upright, she charged into the Carracosta again and again, replacing tackles with bites as the turtle's heavy fins slapped down her charged fur.

But the real fight was between N and Bree, and the boy king's only shield was one of denial and self-delusion.

"You're lying! People lie! They say that they're nice to pokemon! Pokemon don't lie!"

"N, Ghetsis is the only one lying to you."

"NO HE'S NOT!"

Lowering her head, Kaylee rammed into the Carracosta, sending him skidding back.

"Well, then why haven't my pokemon told me that the other Lettered are real? Pokemon don't lie."

"...Because you never saw the other pokemon." What could Ghetsis have done to the other pokemon, the Petilil, the Klink, and all the others after their people...

Forget it. She didn't want to think about it.

"I'll show you!" he shouted over the groan of Carracosta as the pokemon collapsed. "See?" As N's next pokemon materialized, N said, "Klinklang would have said something! Other than Zorro, he's been with me the longest!"

"But...You know that K's Klink couldn't talk."

"...How did you...Klinklang! Help me!"

As confident as Kaylee was when fighting Carracosta, she now stepped back. Dripping wet and bruised, she looked at the pokemon's shining whirring gears grinding against each other, an industrial accident waiting to happen. Kaylee's fur was thick, luxurious, and most importantly very long. A single misstep and Klinklang's gears would chew up her fur, and if her paw slipped it would be crushed utterly.

Kaylee whimpered, and Bree stared at N. What had happened to the N she knew, who would never even dream of harming a pokemon, who cried when he heard of the Zorua mill? That boy was still there, but under something...twisted. Blocked out for his own protection.

Simon burst out of his pokeball. Spreading his claws, he shielded Kaylee from the Klinklang's gears with his own body. He had no fur to be caught and crunched between steel.

A well-placed earthquake-like smashing of the ground would easily defeat the Klinklang, but the floor was already cracked from the dragons' battle. It would be too dangerous. The pokemon whirred faster, its cogs snapping at the air.

Simon sighed. _This is going to suck._

Before he could change his mind, before Bree could change it for him, the Excadrill thrust his hand out in front of him. Right between the two largest gears.

The horrible sound of screeching grinding metal against metal, along with Simon's scream, filled the air. Simon howled in agony as his claws were partially torn out of their nail beds and crushed between the Klinklang's gears, sending blood running down his arm and the pokemon's face.

But it worked. Klinklang stopped moving, unable to turn his gears.

"Simon! What did you just do?"

_Saved Kaylee_, he said.

N pointed at the mangled pokemon. "See? See? Look what you meanies do to pokemon!"

Breaking all the rules of a battle, Bree ran to help Simon, only to be rebuffed by her pokemon. "N," she said across the room, "You know I didn't tell Simon to do this; he did it himself!"

It would have been so easy for N to deny this. So easy to take this false proof and use it to further his own false truths. But instead he said, "...I know."

With the Klinklang effectively immobilized, Kaylee rammed into the pokemon as hard as she could. He popped off of Simon's claws and fell unconscious.

"Nnnnnhhh...no!" N held his final pokeball in his hand. "My last friend...Please, share your courage with me! I'm so sorry I have to put you through this."

When the light dissipated, Bree looked at the pokemon, confused.

Why did he send out Vanilluxe again?

No time to think. "Kaylee, Simon, get back now. Kazumi!"

Except...Wait. The fighting style of Vanilluxe was...not what a Vanilluxe should do. This pokemon got in close, slashed Kazumi with appendages that shouldn't have been there. And Kazumi's swords did more damage than Bree thought they would.

But what if Vanilluxe...wasn't?

There was only one pokemon Bree knew of, other than Ditto, who could mimic the form of another pokemon. And that pokemon was given to N years ago.

"Zorro?"

Vanilluxe stumbled, even though he had no legs. And when he landed, his white icy coat had changed to sleek red and black fun, thin arms and claws sprouted from his sides, and he caught himself on similarly formed feet.

The Zoroark sprang to his feet. _How did you know?_ He whipped around to N, though Kazumi remained on guard. _N, she knows my name. Other than you, only Ghetsis, Anthea, Concordia, and the other Lettered..._

Zorro seemed to pale under his black fur; his hands flew to his mouth and his eyes widened.

_Oh no. Ghetsis is going to..._

Bree approached Zorro. "Do you remember me? Or my Blitzle?"

He stepped back, hyperventilating. _N, she, she-!_

Instantly, the Zoroark transformed into a small silent girl with wavy brown hair and a simple dirty blue sundress. The girl looked at N with wide blue eyes, then changed back.

_B._

* * *

"It's not that your dreams were wrong, or untrue. You just went too far."

"...Maybe you're right." N looked at Bree and smiled. "Yeah, maybe there's other ways for me to help pokemon. Your pokemon do like you." Reshiram was behind him, and seemed calmer.

Still, N wrung his hands. "But...Now I remember. Ghetsis said on the night I became king that you were helping us somewhere else. But now you're fighting us."

Bree drew in a breath. "N, your father, he-"

"You idiot! You ruined everything!"

Well, this was a bad time. Bree and N stood up. N whimpered, "D-Daddy..."

Ghetsis stomped in, absolutely livid. "After all this, you think you're worthy of sharing the name Harmonia with me? You're not my son! I gave you a simple task, to control Reshiram to give MY Team Plasma complete control over Unova, and you couldn't even do that! You are nothing more than a warped, pathetic, defective piece of shit who knows nothing but pokemon!"

Without even pausing for a response (as if he would get one from N, who trembled in horror), he wheeled around to Bree. "I heard everything from Theta. At least someone's useful around here! How could you be here? You were supposed to be dead years ago! But that won't matter, because I'll finish the job right here and now! I want to see you die right in front of my face!"

Two sets of footsteps ran up the stairs.

"You see?" said Cheren. "I told you what he did."

Alder just shook his head. "Ghetsis, we were once co-workers. How could you do something like this?"

The true leader of Team Plasma simply laughed. "Coworkers? I only joined the Elite Four so I could control Unova, but that wasn't nearly enough power for me. And that's why I created Team Plasma! Freeing pokemon? That was just a convenient lie that I needed to create Team Plasma. Use your head. What's to be gained from letting go of useful things like Pokémon? Certainly, manipulating Pokémon helps people expand their possibilities. That much, I can agree with. So it naturally follows that only I should be able to use Pokémon! And yes, I killed the other letters. They were useless, nothing but a drain! They were better off dead!"

He spat out his words like bullets, and they wounded N in the same way. Bravely, though on the verge of tears, he said, "Daddy, how could you-"

"Don't you 'Daddy' me!" He slapped his son, and somehow that was the most degrading act so far.

"I am not your father, and you are not my son! I am perfect, I would never spawn something as disgusting as you!" He lifted up N by his shirt and snarled in his face. "You are not a king. You are an inhuman monster, a warped abomination incapable of feeling any human emotion. You are nothing more than a freak without a human heart!"

Cheren, Alder, and Bree gasped as Ghetsis tossed away N like the trash he believed his son was. N curled up, silent tears streaming from his eyes. For once, he didn't say a word.

Bree spoke first. "N, he's lying! You love me, you said it!"

"Love?" And now Ghetsis actually laughed, a harsh, wild, uncontrolled bark. "You think this thing is capable of love? That's rich! You honestly think you're going to get through to a warped creature like that?"

Snarling, Bree stepped forward with Zekrom's pokeball clutched in her hand. "Let's hear you say that after I stomp you into the ground!"

Again, he laughed. "Say anything you want, Bree! Or should I say B, the failed queen! I can't wait to see the look on your face when all your pokemon are crushed and you lose all hope! I can't wait to see Hydreigon rip your throat out like he should have done ten years ago!"

* * *

Ghetsis was strong, scarily so. Before Bree could blink, Zekrom was set upon by three pokemon. The legendary pokemon roared as Seismitoad pounded away at its tail, Bouffalant charged and gored its flanks and belly, and Cofagrigus wrapped his ectoplasmic hands around Zekrom's head and down its throat, grabbing and ripping every inch of internal flesh he could reach. If the legendary pokemon were at full strength, if it had not just been resurrected and then immediately dueled its counterpart, it would have been able to defeat the three pokemon. But Zekrom had done all those things, so it couldn't.

Zekrom roared and thrashed, slamming its tail, and the Seismitoad attacking it, into the walls and floor, trying to shock the pokemon off but failing as he simply absorbed the shocks and rerouted them into the ground. The bull's horns impaled its legs, tearing muscle and drawing blood. And Cofagrigus pumped poison into the dragon's lungs as quickly as he could.

Any other pokemon would have been long dead at this point, but Zekrom was no ordinary pokemon, and so it endured.

The Seismitoad, concussed, let go of Zekrom's tail and fell to the ground, but the Cofagrigus still continued to strangle the legendary pokemon from the inside out.

"Erik, you've got to help!"

He did. As Zekrom, with the last of its strength, managed to kick the Bouffalant into a wall, Erik blasted a mixture of shadowy miasma and violet flame so intense that it punched a hole through the other ghost's golden coating, immediately knocking him out.

Ghetsis snarled and, wordlessly, sent out his Bisharp. Erik didn't even have time to turn around before Bisharp cut him open, gouging in his blades so deep that they nearly breached the internal nuclear reactor of sorts swirling in the Chandelure's belly. The slashes exuded a smokelike substance that hung in the air even when he was returned to his pokeball.

"What the fuck are you doing, Ghetsis?"

It was then that Bree realized just how dangerous this battle was going to be. With every other fight, her opponent was fighting to win.

Here, Ghetsis was fighting to kill.

Unbidden, above Bree's shout of, "Don't!" Simon burst out of his pokeball. Since his wounded claws were still smeared with dried blood, cracked, piercing the nailbed, barely hanging on, the Excadrill fought entirely one-handed. Metal scraped metal and cut the Bisharp's body, but failed to do much damage.

Grinning sadistically, Bisharp snatched up Simon's injured hand and pressed the broken ends of the claws into the nailbed.

But Simon refused to give Bisharp the satisfaction of seeing him scream. His good hand was free, and with his good hand he smashed the pokemon in the chest, cracking his metal ribs. He followed with a sharp uppercut that broke Bisharp's jaw.

"No! You'll burn for this!"

The next thing Simon felt was something long, smooth, and slimy wrap around him too tight and clamp onto his claws.

And then he was on fire.

If Eelectross was a fire type, then the flames spewing onto Simon's claws would have been so hot that his hands would be completely and utterly destroyed in moments-and for an Excadrill without the use of his hands and claws, euthanasia would be merciful.

The flames weren't that hot. But they were hot enough to sear his skin, soften his metal, instantly scorch and cauterize the wounds. Simon howled, agonized, as his metallic claws began to deform in the intense heat, and molten metal began to drip and ooze onto his sensitive fingers.

Alder and Cheren frantically searched for a battle-ready pokemon. Screaming in terror, N scrambled to his father but was simply kicked away. He curled up again, burying his face in his knees. He couldn't look.

Suddenly, the heat lifted and the pain eased slightly. Through the haze of pain, just before being returned to his capsule, Simon saw a snarling, enraged Kaylee grapple the Eelectross, completely ignoring the blasts of electricity and fire that burnt away her fur as she bit every inch of the pokemon that she could reach. Eventually, with the Eelectross still trying to squeeze the life out of her, Kaylee closed her jaw around his head, where skull and spine joined, and bit down.

There was a horrible cracking sound as the bone splintered between her teeth, and the shards drove themselves into Eelectross' brain and spine. His body shuddered, then slid out of her mouth to come to rest limp on the floor, still twitching from remnants of escaping electricity.

Ghetsis shouted at the sight of his dead pokemon, then sent out his last.

Three roars later, the only sounds were Kaylee's shrieks, and the sickeningly wet organic sound of tearing flesh. Screaming incoherently, the Stoutland desperately snapped at empty air as Hydreigon's three heads tore into her again and again, spurting red blood everywhere.

A flash of black, and Hydreigon roared-this time in agony. With a spurt of blood, Hector, the black Haxorus, tore his axe-like tusk out of the other dragon's flank and, without any hesitation, swung at the Hydreigon's closest head.

"Bree!" shouted Cheren. "Go get Kaylee; Hector and I will hold the dragon off as long as we can!"

The injuries were even worse up close. Kaylee lay limp on the ground, eyes glazed over from shock. She was alive, but only just. Her fur was torn to shreds, with bits scattered all over the arena, one side of her thick mustache was ripped off, and the rest of her coat was matted with blood. She was covered in deep bite wounds all over her body. Her left leg, which she had desperately used to shield herself, was mangled beyond belief. White bone shone through red blood and deeper red muscle, connective tissue was peeled back, long gouges showed where teeth scraped through muscle. The paw was gone, simply gone; only shredded tendon and bloodied chunks of muscle remained. Kaylee's leg looked like it had gone through a meat grinder; the limb was ruined.

Barely holding back tears, Bree pressed her hand into her pokemon's fur, and broke down when Kaylee whimpered and pressed back.

"Hold on Kaylee," she said as she sucked her faithful dog back into her pokeball, praying that she could survive in stasis for the next hour. That was all she would need.

Both dragons roared. Bree turned to see the Hydreigon biting savagely at Hector's natural armor, prying off the armored hide and trying to scrape away at the flesh underneath.

"Eve! Help Hector!"

Bursting out of her pokeball, Eve cried out as she clawed the side of the dragon's rightmost head. Suddenly more free to move, Hector whipped his head upwards and slammed into Hydreigon's lower jaw.

The Haxorus didn't decapitate the smaller head. But he tore the lower jaw clean off, sending it flinging through the air and skidding to a stop on the already bloodied ground as the Hydreigon's tongue lolled uselessly out of its rightmost mouth.

With a shout of _Don't hurt my friends!_ Eve dug her talons into the useless tongue and ripped it out right out of the beast's mouth.

Eve and Hector clawed and hacked at every available target, before Hydreigon, roaring and howling and thrashing, completely ripped off Hector's chest plate and sliced his arm open. And then, in the next moment, he snatched up Eve and flung her against the wall. She collided into the stone with a sickening crack and slid motionless to the ground.

"Eve!" Frantically withdrawing her gravely wounded pokemon back into her pokeball, Bree didn't realize that she had stopped breathing until she saw the flash of light which showed that a live pokemon was inside and exhaled in relief.

Cheren managed to withdraw Hector moments before Hydreigon bit into his chest. "Bree, Hector was my last pokemon. I'm sorry."

"Cheren, you've done enough. Kazumi! Please, help me!"

The jawless head was useless for biting, but Hydreigon could still use it as a flail. As he brought it down on Kazumi, she thrust her sword up, impaling the mutilated head on the tip, where it slid down the shell sword with a sickening sound.

Roaring in agony as the bundle of nerves serving as a brain in the smaller head was destroyed, the dragon gripped her sword with the other heads and wrenched it out of Kazumi's grip, chucking it across the room. Eyes flitting to the abandoned sword, Kazumi instead snarled and, gripping her remaining blade with both hands, hacked and slashed madly at Hydreigon.

"You pathetic pokemon," said Ghetsis, "Kill the stupid thing!"

Hydreigon tried to rip out Kazumi's throat, but missed and gouged out a part of her shoulder instead. Hissing from the pain, the Samurott was momentarily left defenseless, and that was when he struck.

Biting down with both hands, piercing muscle and scraping against bone, the dragon slowly bent Kazumi's forearm in the entirely wrong way, snarling and laughing sadistically as Kazumi shrieked and the bone snapped, piercing through the skin and causing its owner to black out.

"Kazumi!"

Ghetsis laughed as his dragon did as Bree's final pokemon slid to the floor. "You see? You're pathetic!" Over the cries of Alder, Cheren, and N, he said, "Hydreigon, eat her."

The fear came back, washed over Bree and carried her away. She didn't have time to grab Kazumi's abandoned sword-and even if she could, what good would it do? Maddened roaring filled her ears as the batttered Hydreigon, two of its heads still very able to rip her apart, salivated at the treat before him...

Something large and violet barreled into the dragon, knocking it over and, most importantly, very far away.

Looking up at her savior, Bree grinned. Looking at the creature that stopped his pokemon, Ghetsis said, "Impossible."

Idoun sized up her opponent with a grin. Three of them. _Oh yeah. This thing, right here? This is going to be fun._

Ghetsis' Hydreigon didn't speak. It never did. It couldn't. Snarling, with the fearsome sound a strangled bubbling in the third, dead, head, he rushed Idoun and tore at every part of her he could reach. His wickedly sharp teeth ripped into Idoun's ankle, drew blood and snapped one of the small bones, but she ignored the pain.

Flying above the wounded dragon, Idoun shot blast after blast of energy at the other dark dragon from above. Growling and snarling, foaming saliva dripping from its mouths, he flipped onto his back and responded in turn. One shot smashed into her wing, sending her spiraling downward.

"Idoun!"

But she recovered, and managed to just skim the ground, regaining her altitude almost instantly. Laughing at her newfound power, Idoun flew up high enough that her central head and wings skimmed the ceiling. Folding them inward, she dove down and crashed into the other Hydreigon's back, tearing at both necks, snapping two of the wings, and sending him plummeting to the ground.

Hydreigon crashed into a pillar, broke a leg on impact, tried to right himself but couldn't, and then it was over.

* * *

"No! NO!" Ghetsis' shouts were as violent and incoherent as his dragon's, and even more frenzied. Whatever sanity he had (if you could call it that) was clearly slipping away. "This can't happen! That plan was perfect! I am perfect! I AM PERFECTION!"

Bree was just waiting for Ghetsis to start writhing on the ground and whine about how he was melting or something equally cliche. Instead, Cheren strode over to the fallen man.

"You are not perfection," he spat, dragging up Ghetsis by the collar of his robe. "You are nothing more than a pathetic, psychopathic abomination. In fact, I'm glad Unova got rid of the death penalty years ago because the gurney is too good for the likes of you."

N still didn't move. Something deep inside had crumbled at Ghetsis' words. Bree had gotten a brief glimpse of his face and it had looked like the fall of empires.

"Bree, give me your pokemon," said Alder. "The pokeballs should keep them stable for a little while, but if you don't get them to a hospital right now, they'll die."

As Alder and Cheren left with Ghetsis, he growled, and twisted himself out of the young man's grip. Before anyone could catch him, he had snatched up Bree and, holding her tight, pressed something cool and round and metal to the side of her head.

"Where did he get a gun?"

Any trace of civility in his voice was long gone. "This bitch was my only flaw! She should have died years ago! Well, I was saving this for N, but I'm going to go and fix it now!" He cocked the gun, and Bree could feel her insides freeze from the terror of impending death and the wonderfully vivid image of what a bullet would do to her brain playing itself out in front of her.

Alder and Cheren reached for their pokeballs, and Bree could actually hear Ghetsis sneer behind her, "What, you're going to try to rescue her with your pokemon? Do you honestly think they can get to me before I can pull this trigger? No, I'm going to splatter her brains all over the wall like I should have done ten years ago, and then I'll take care of you!"

Heavy breathing instantly rose behind them, and then a pained cry of, "Don't hurt her too!"

N, tears welling at his eyes, threw himself at Ghetsis, knocking him over and Bree out of his grip, where she landed on the floor.

The moment Ghetsis was knocked over, his arm flew up, his hand pulled the trigger, and the gun discharged.

* * *

A/N: WELL THAT WAS CHEERY.

Yep, that last item that the Shadow Triad stole? Was the gun.

How was that battle with Ghetsis? Was it brutal? Was it a bloodbath? This is Ghetsis! Of course he's fighting to kill!

FINAL CHAPTER IS NEXT.


	37. Touch Me, Heal Me

Well, it's been a wonderful ride with everyone. Seriously. When I started this, it was just a scene in my head and a few scattered ideas, and look where I am now...

Thank you all, so much, for your wonderful reviews. And even if you didn't review, thank you, and I'm so glad I was able to give you some enjoyment, even if only for a little while.

So, here it is. The final chapter. This one is about as long (read: short) as the first one, and as is my common refrain, I'm not happy with it, but...

This is it. Please read and enjoy.

* * *

The first thing Bree heard after the gunshot stopped ringing in her ears was the cursing.

"Fuck! Ah shit, shit that hurts..."

And considering just who was saying it...

"Cheren!"

His face a grimace of pain, Cheren clutched his right shoulder, barely able to keep himself standing. Blood leaked from the bullet wound, ran between his fingers, and spread into his shirt and sports jacket, staining the clean fabric red.

"Cheren, are you okay?" Completely idiotic, utterly moronic, but she said it anyway.

The young man just glared at his best friend, or at least attempted to glare. "No Bree, I'm perfectly fine. Except for, you know, the bullet wound in my shoulder that I believe may have broken my clavicle or scapula. Though, considering the fact that every moment is nothing but pain, I should be grateful that I seem to have escaped nerve damage, at least for the time being." His right arm hung limp and useless by his side.

Only when Alder grabbed Ghetsis, who was still ranting, and tied his hands behind his back did Cheren allow hot tears to spill from his eyes. Bree would have run over to hug him, help him to the hospital, but with his shoulder there was no way she was going to risk it.

Besides, as Bree approached, Cheren said, "No."

"What?"

"You heard me," he said, trying to gesture with his hand but stopping halfway through with a pained gasp. A few drops of blood dripped off of his fingers and onto the floor. "Bree, I'll be fine. If any of my main arteries had been shredded, I'd be bleeding out on the floor instead of talking to you right now. I just need to-aah!-get to the hospital." Cheren pointed with his good hand to the figure sitting blankly on the ground. "N needs you right now, more than any of us do."

"But my pokemon..."

Trying to smile, Cheren looked rueful more than anything else. "There's nothing you can do. It's all up to them."

Alder looked back, Ghetsis still snarling and bound. "They'll be fine," he said, before turning back to the fallen leader of Team Plasma and kneeing him. "Let's go, I'm sure there's a lot of cops who will want to ask you questions."

When they finally left, Bree approached N carefully, as if he were a wounded pokemon.

"Don't!" he cried out. "Please...I'm not fit to be the hero."

Somehow, seeing N so defeated and small was even worse than the near-insanity that he had driven himself into, that Ghetsis had forced him to be. "Oh, N..." Not bothering to listen to his protests, his assertions that he was no hero, Bree pulled him up and into a hug.

"No," she said into his dirty shirt, "Reshiram chose you on its own. You're a hero. You are nothing but a good, kind loving person, and we forgive you. We never blamed you. I never blamed you."

Draped over Bree, N finally allowed himself to break down and cry.

* * *

The storm had passed. The sky was clearing, deep blue night and pinpoint stars slowly emerging through clouds. The corner of Bree's shirt was smeared with N's tears, but the garment was probably a lost cause anyway.

N was sitting before the broken window, on the steps where the throne once was, Bree by his side. He was batting a crown back and forth in his hands, a crown that once slipped over his eyes but was now too small for him.

"Plastic," he said eventually. "It's plastic." Suddenly, he picked up the fake crown and threw it across the room, where it bounced against the broken wall and came to rest in a shallow pool that was once filled with water. N buried his head in his hands and his shoulders shook, but before he could break down Bree embraced him again.

When he calmed down, he stood up, shakily. He looked to the shattered window.

"I want to talk to you about something."

"Okay." Bree smiled. Cheren was right, N did need her more right now.

"It's about when we first met, in Accumula. I heard your pokemon, and I was shocked." He looked in her eyes. "I, well, I had never heard a pokemon say that they loved their trainer before."

Bree listened as N wrung his hands together. "I tried to brush it off, and then I...everyone, almost every pokemon I met thought the same thing. And then there was you."

N looked out the window, down at the hills below and up at the sky above. The sky was starting to become lighter.

"I can't stay here."

"What?"

"I need to decide what to do next for myself. I...I..."

And Bree understood. Hell, she had been harboring the same thoughts herself. Except for her, there was nothing in Unova for N except pain. Nothing holding him back. Not a single pure, good, untainted memory here for him. He needed fresh air. He needed space. He needed to start again.

The boy king sat next to his usurper, twisting the beloved Menger Sponge in his hands, completely at a loss of what to do next, or what he was looking for, only certain that it wouldn't be found here.

But before he left, Bree needed to tell him something.

"N." And there was such force in her voice, that he had to look up.

"N, I need you to listen to me. Ghetsis was wrong."

"...I know. He was a huge meanie, the biggest meanie of all..."

"N, he was wrong about you. You are not a freak without a human heart. You are not incapable of love. He's the one who wouldn't know love if it slapped him in the face with a Seaking. N, you're the most loving person I know, you've done nothing your entire life but love and care, and..."

And. Looking into his eyes, his slightly parted mouth, Bree realized what she had to do.

Just like on the Ferris Wheel, several months and a lifetime ago, she kissed him.

N was expecting it this time, and so he lifted his arms around her neck and buried them in her thick hair. His eyes were closed, and Bree could feel wet tears still clinging to his lashes as they brushed against her cheek. Bree slipped her tongue into his mouth, and couldn't help but notice as his whole body froze at the new sensation.

And when he realized what she was doing and figured it out, he returned the kiss, clumsy and hesitant, but eager to do well and full of love.

They broke the kiss but continued to embrace each other, and N smiled.

He still wasn't entirely sure what he was looking for, but it just might be in Unova after all.

N released Reshiram and hopped on his back. The dragon was quiet, and even nodded respectfully to Zekrom as she released her bonded pokemon.

"I'll be back," he promised. "It's just that..."

Bree nodded. "I know." She would have dragged him back to Nuvema, or hopped on Zekrom's back and followed him around the world, but she realized just how much N needed this, needed to be free. He was like that caged bird in that poem, and now she had opened the bars, fixed those broken wings and taught him to fly again.

And so she let the breeze ripple his green hair, let an innocent laugh escape his soft mouth, let him smile and say, "The air is beautiful," let him fly off into the sunrise. Let him go.

Human and pokemon watched the white speck fade into the distance, and it was Zekrom who spoke first.

_Why did you let him leave?_

If she knew the answer, then so did Zekrom. But some things needed to be said outright.

"Because it's what he needed. He needed the space. He'll be fine." And she knew he would.

Then Zekrom asked a more pressing question. _Do you love him?_

"..."

_Then why did you kiss him? Do you love him?_

Did she love him? Really, truly love him? Hard to say. She certainly cared for him, and the potential for love was certainly there. And it was obvious that N loved her back. But actual love? Did she, Bree, love N?

Did it really matter?

She ran her fingers along the smooth stone of the Blitzle necklace. She already knew the answer.

"I kissed him because it was what he needed then, more than anything."

Zekrom didn't say anything as Bree looked back to the sky. Satisfied that N was gone, she turned around and ran back down, out of the oppressive castle and back into the sun. Back to her friends and her pokemon and Cheren on the stretcher and her pokemon in the emergency room and Bianca with her flashes of brilliance and her mother who saved her.

And, maybe eventually, to N.

It didn't matter right now if she loved him because he loved her and he needed that kiss more than anything. If she loved him, it would come with time.

But now her friends needed her, and that included her pokemon.

And she was sure that everything would turn out alright.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the ending...

So yeah, Cheren got shot in the shoulder (and it is most certainly NOT Only A Flesh Wound), and N leaves because...yeah. He needs the space.

Again, thank you all so much for accompanying me on this wonderful ride.

And now, what you're all waiting for: Side stories and sequels?

Well, I'm starting college in less than two weeks, and that obviously takes precedence, so I don't know when I'll have another story. BUT, I have THREE ideas in mind!

1. A sequel to Alphabet Soup, tentatively titled **This Must Be The Place**. It's a sequel to Alphabet Soup. You'll find out the rest. :P

2. A prequel of sorts to Alphabet Soup, though I don't know the title yet. It's mainly going to follow Arty and Elesa from childhood to the time they become gym leaders, in a bunch of loosely connected chapters that can kinda be read on their own, though there will be a loose plot. Other characters will show up, but Arty and Elesa are the main focus.

3. A Unova Gym Leader Wiki, like OkonoMiyagi's, which you should seriously check out. And I got permission for it. It's also going to be set in the Alphabet Soup universe.

I don't know when they'll be up, but hopefully within the next few months.

Again, thank you so much for reading and enjoying my little story.


End file.
